Chapter 123
Chapter 123
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 123
Chapter Title: 53. Legacy of the Ruins (1)
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Seven horses that had left Gatensha were galloping toward the southwest.
Jared and Rolang escorted Yuri, who was leading the way at the front, while a bit behind them, Hose was leading Simon and Guinness.
Now able to ride even large horses with ease, Cori repeatedly sat and stood in the saddle, diligently training his thigh muscles.
"They still gave us good horses, at least."
"Guess they have some conscience left."
After dueling Jair in Gatensha and turning away with a flashy display of his back, Yuri had circled back later to threaten them into handing over the horses.
Surprisingly, Jair gave them without a fuss.
When Yuri offered to pay, he even discounted them by half.
Suddenly, Hose's voice drifted up from behind.
"Did everyone get a good look at what His Highness did?"
"Yes!"
"Become knights as splendid as His Highness. Hahaha!"
"Yes!"
Watching Hose manage Simon and Guinness, he looked less like a knight from Bursen and more like one from Brioll.
Yuri called out to him.
"Hose."
"Yes!"
"After we take out Gert, we'll stop by Bursen."
"Sounds good!"
Bursen lay right next to Adelvine.
In his previous life, Hose had clashed with Gert because their borders touched.
Thanks to him killing Gert, Bursen had been able to expand its territory back into the old Adelvine lands.
"Finally, I'll get to experience the famous full-course meal of Bursen."
"J-just trust me and follow along!"
Even Hose, who didn't usually speak in heavy Bursen dialect, automatically puffed out his chest and shifted his accent whenever he mentioned the full course. It was the pride of a native Bursen man.
"Ooh..."
"Bursen, indeed..."
Inspired by Hose, Simon and Guinness were already gazing ahead with eager eyes.
Yuri added a word to keep them from getting too excited.
"Of course, that's only if we make it back alive. Our opponent's one of the Ten Strongest—Gert. A monster who's already lost his humanity. Are you all confident you'll return in one piece?"
The mood sobered.
Whenever they followed Yuri, victory was assured. Things never went wrong.
So they'd momentarily forgotten.
Yuri Brioll wasn't invincible; he was just a knight who'd barely reached his thirties.
And lurking in that Adelvine was a monster even greater than him.
Hose burst into laughter.
"That's our prince. Simon, Guinness—gotta stay sharp, right?"
"Yes, exactly."
"Mm..."
"Still, I doubt it'll be a big deal."
Hose thumped his chest.
"I'll help Brioll's prince wipe Gert out for good."
"Ooh..."
"Having him camped next to Bursen was always a pain. Might as well be a good thing. We'll kill off that annoying enemy, strengthen ties between our nations... and go further from there."
Hose smiled.
"Maybe even set something right."
He seemed simple at a glance, but he was anything but.
Hose had guessed Yuri was searching for something. And it was tied to that horrific figure of Oqua he'd seen on the plains, and the string of events in the Empire.
Brioll's third prince was hunting something far greater.
As a knight who carried Bursen's seas in his heart, he couldn't sit out such an honorable journey.
"Thanks for sticking with me."
"No need. I've spent enough time with Your Highness to know you're worth following."
"How about settling down in Brioll while you're at it?"
"Sorry. Bursen men don't know the meaning of betrayal."
"Not betrayal—strategic relocation."
"Hahaha..."
The six were elite knights, and Cori was a mage trained by Hernando. His skills weren't top-tier yet, but he could handle his own body just fine.
Yuri's group crossed the border in a flash alongside their horses.
They left the Empire behind and passed through small villages at the fringes of various nations.
Before long, their destination loomed close.
"We'll stop there."
"Yes."
They reached the last village before entering Adelvine.
A place called Sordelvine, sharing its name with the old capital of Adelvine.
Built by Adelvine's survivors to commemorate their lost homeland.
Though nominally part of the small nation Chrono, the ties were loose—more like an independent city-state.
With few visitors in this rural village, the locals' eyes followed Yuri's group as they entered.
A vague wariness hung in the air.
Every movement drew stares from the villagers, making the backs of their necks prickle.
"Anyplace we can stay the night?"
Jared stepped forward to ask. A villager rolled his eyes before answering.
"There's a small inn in the village center."
"Thanks."
"Uh, you look like knights... Mind if I ask what brings you here?"
Jared glanced at Yuri, who answered for him.
"Just passing through on our way to some business nearby."
"Ah, I see."
They glossed over the truth—that they were there to kill Gert.
"Rest easy, then. Sordelvine's a peaceful place."
"Will do."
Yuri's group rode to the inn.
It wasn't large, but big enough for seven.
Exactly seven rooms, so Yuri booked them all.
The owner, who hadn't had guests in ages, fumbled with the keys for a while before finally unlocking the doors. Dust billowed out.
He forced a smile and gestured inside.
"Haha, go on in. Air it out, and it'll be fine. I'll call the stable hand for your horses. Feed 'em, brush 'em down—they'll be good as new."
"Appreciate it. Here—keep the change."
"Oh, thank you kindly."
After unpacking, Yuri gathered the six in his room.
"This place is suspicious."
Hose and Rolang nodded, while the others tilted their heads.
"What's suspicious?"
"Did you see how the villagers were on guard?"
"Well, outsiders don't come often..."
"We look like knights no matter how you slice it."
"Yes."
"If we're not causing trouble, shouldn't the villagers welcome knights? Nine times out of ten, we're here to take down Gert."
"Maybe they're worried about us..."
"Doubt it."
Yuri stood and ran his fingertip along the table by the window. It came away white with dust.
"An inn this dead for business."
"Yes."
"And the owner's dressed pretty sharp."
"Could just have money saved up."
"Look."
Yuri nodded toward the window. Jared approached and peered out.
"Don't they all look a bit too relaxed for a backwater village like this?"
He was right.
The buildings looked worn, but the people passing by seemed at ease.
Some rode white-maned horses; fancy carriages rolled by occasionally.
Yuri raised his hand, pointing to a street clustered with red-light districts. Lights glittered lavishly.
"They even have a stable hand."
"Oh, right."
"Strange village. Plenty of money, but no one's heard of it..."
Jared cocked his head.
"Maybe they've got a gold mine or something."
"That'd be nice."
Yuri said.
"Not our business anyway. We just need to eliminate Gert. But..."
He turned his gaze. There, a man in flashy clothes strolled with a courtesan on his arm. The locals paid him no mind, as if it were everyday.
"...they might get in the way."
Night fell.
Yuri sat on the bed, penning a letter to Ireine. Since joining hands with her, she'd succeeded in every deal, riding high—and now she was pioneering trade routes to the East.
From here on, it was beyond Yuri's knowledge, so the brilliant merchant would have to decide herself.
He was in the middle of introducing her to Muyongchan.
Suddenly, his pen stopped.
A faint presence stirred outside.
An ordinary person might miss it, but Yuri's senses were acutely sharp. He detected a group wandering Sordelvine.
He could ignore it, but curiosity won out. He rose.
Something intriguing might happen.
Maybe he'd uncover this suspicious village's secret.
Gripping only his sword, Yuri opened the window and leaped down. He slipped through the shadows toward the presence.
What he saw was bizarre.
Dozens of villagers gathered, torches in hand, murmuring among themselves. They clutched farm tools.
Then they headed out of the village.
Yuri narrowed his eyes.
Not the direction his group had come from.
They were marching toward Adelvine.
He scanned around. Nothing else stirred. They were the only ones moving in the night-shrouded Sordelvine.
He followed quietly.
They crossed the village fence without hesitation, as if routine, heading into old Adelvine territory.
Faint voices carried.
"Don't go too far. Just dig nearby tonight."
"Why? It's a good night."
"Just a feeling. Outsiders showed up..."
"What's with those knights causing a fuss here?"
"Said they're just passing through."
"You don't think they're here for that, do you?"
"Nah. They looked harmless. No need to worry anyway."
The villagers chatted casually as they slipped into old Adelvine lands.
Yuri was stunned.
Enter Adelvine, and Death Knight Gert attacks the living.
This wasn't rumor—it was proven fact, verified multiple times by investigation teams.
"Quiet down. Time to work. No talking."
The leader muffled his mouth with cloth. The others followed suit.
They moved silently.
The moon was bright enough to see without raising torches high.
Yuri trailed the erratic shadows prowling old Adelvine.
They reached a ruined village.
Vines choked shattered homes; trees pierced roofs, branches sprawling high.
They combed the ground with torches, searching.
Yuri extended his senses, wary of Gert or similar approaching.
Nothing.
Just ruins.
Then the villagers suddenly bustled. Yuri hid behind a building and watched.
They gathered at the ruins' center.
Around a skeleton.
The bones' arrangement made the death obvious.
Spine snapped clean.
They exchanged glances silently, plugged their ears with cloth, and quietly cleared the bones with their tools.
Then they dug where the body had lain.
Yuri had no idea what was happening.
Coming to Adelvine ruins where Death Knight could appear any moment, plugging ears and mouths to dig up graves in the dead of night.
Had they all gone mad?
Leaning closer to see, the villagers shared looks, stepped back together—except the leader, who swung his pickaxe wide.
That instant.
Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeee!
A chilling scream that shook the soul.
Yuri's mana twisted; he collapsed.
His head spun.
Balance gone.
Body unresponsive. He needed to stand—but couldn't.
Bloody spittle flew from his mouth.
Even amid the sensory chaos, one thing was crystal clear: a massive presence approaching from afar.
He cursed under his breath.
Run.
Gert was coming.