Chapter 158
Chapter 158
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 158
Chapter Title: 66. History (1)
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The Empire seemed poised to invade Joachim again at any moment, but they merely stationed their troops at the border without making any further moves.
The imperial palace was quiet as well.
For Yuri, that silence felt even more ominous.
Jared asked,
"Will Joachim be okay?"
"Who knows."
Yuri shrugged.
He wasn't confident about Joachim's safety either. Being adjacent to the Empire, anything could happen at any time.
"Well, no need to worry too much."
But one thing was certain.
If the Empire attacked Joachim again, they would face significant difficulties.
Just as Yuri had intended, Joachim's restructuring was progressing rapidly.
The recent war had fully established tactics and combat methods specialized for mountain warfare.
They had even set up their own guerrilla training grounds, and fortifications were being built throughout the forests surrounding Joachim.
"Oh, you mean the guerrilla training ground in the royal castle. Three units just graduated the other day. They're swamped over there."
"Excellent."
"Plus, young people from Joachim are volunteering to enlist. Looks like the country won't fall anytime soon."
Joachim's army was growing stronger.
They still couldn't venture out of the forests to fight, but at least within the Alloy Mountains, not even the Empire's forces could easily target them.
And when the time came, they could descend the mountains and strike the Empire's rear.
Yuri shrugged.
"Now, let's worry about ourselves."
In his previous life, the Empire had pushed Joachim aside and invaded the surrounding regions entirely.
It might be early, but the war had essentially already begun.
Just as Joachim had been invaded without warning, from now on, anything could happen at any moment.
Yuri's group soon reached a flat, grassy area.
"Shall we rest here?"
"Yes."
Having left Joachim behind, Yuri's group had now reached the edge of the Alloy Mountains.
Beyond this lay regions dotted with small kingdoms, and passing the Klein Duchy at the end would bring them to Brioll.
"Who's on meal duty this time?"
"It's me, Your Highness."
"Rolang?"
Yuri fell silent for a moment. Rolang wasn't much of a cook.
"I'll make stew. Trust me."
"Alright. Stew's not that hard, after all..."
They lit a campfire, and Rolang began preparing the cooking tools as best he could.
During this, Hose asked Yuri,
"Your Highness."
"Yeah?"
"How did you kill Yalta?"
The group's attention turned to him.
They hadn't brought it up because of Graham's news, but everyone had already realized Yuri had defeated Yalta.
Yuri shrugged.
"I'm pretty strong, you know?"
"You've already reached that level?"
"Sir Hose, you could've beaten Yalta too."
"I'm not so sure..."
"I mean it. If you'd gone all the way, you would've won."
Yuri didn't rate Yalta highly.
His notoriety was exaggerated due to his brutal habit of slaughtering indiscriminately; he wasn't truly Ten Strong material.
Hose would've struggled, but ultimately prevailed.
"He was just a brute."
Jared whistled.
"Anyway, does that make Your Highness one of the Ten Strong now?"
"No."
"But you took him down."
"Not planning to reveal it. That's why I disguised it as dying in a fight with Sir Graham."
"So, will they pick a new one?"
"Probably."
The Ten Strong weren't appointed by anyone; they emerged naturally through people's talk.
Usually, the one who killed an existing Ten Strong took their place.
But with both Yalta and his final opponent Graham dead, they'd need to select a new one.
Yuri grinned.
"Likely Sir Hose, right?"
Hose's prowess was already widely known.
There were other promising candidates like the Empire's knight commanders or the Holy Kingdom's paladin leaders, but Hose had the highest renown.
Hose shook his head.
"I hope not. It'd be embarrassing."
"Why?"
"Having the man who killed Yalta right here, and me being named Ten Strong? Haha..."
"Then just work hard enough not to feel embarrassed. Wanna spar after a long time?"
"Shall we?"
"After we eat."
"Yes."
As the two laughed and chatted, Rolang, who was stirring the stew nearby, let out a sigh.
Jared tilted his head.
"What's wrong, Sir Rolang?"
"Nothing."
Rolange smiled wryly.
"Seeing you two makes me feel like I'm falling behind. I wonder if I'm even helping His Highness."
"Don't say that."
"I can't even cook well..."
"W-Why this suddenly?"
Jared shrugged.
"Look at me, Sir Rolang. I'm supposed to be guarding His Highness, but I've never properly done it. He's saved me more times instead. If you're feeling down, I should just die."
"Now that you mention it..."
"Don't agree so quickly."
"Shall we spar later too?"
"Sounds good."
Rolange laughed while stirring the stew with a ladle. But his mind wasn't at ease.
He wanted to help the Third Prince and support his path forward, but doubts about his own abilities crept in.
The gap between them was widening with each passing day.
At this rate, he might even become a hindrance.
"Hmm..."
There was no helping it. All he could do was keep training.
As the Joachim sculptor Wid had said, if he hoped and strived every day, it would eventually come to pass.
"It's ready."
Rolange served the stew with chunks of meat to everyone.
As he offered a bowl to Inariel, he paused.
"Do you eat this too, Lady Inariel?"
"Why?"
"Well..."
Elves somehow seemed like they'd live on grass alone.
But Inariel calmly scooped up some stew and ate it.
"Weird for an elf to eat meat?"
"Just checking, in case."
"I eat it."
Inariel broke off a tender piece of meat with her spoon and chewed it thoughtfully.
"Elves aren't cows; why would we only eat grass?"
"I see."
Rolange learned something new. Elves were omnivores like humans.
"Rolang, was it?"
"Yes."
"No need to rush."
Rolange blushed slightly. It was embarrassing that even she had seen through him.
Inariel set down her bowl and said,
"Or rather, that prince of yours is running too far ahead."
"Pardon?"
Inariel gave Rolang a subtle smile, lifting only the corner of her mouth.
"So don't worry. Just staying by that little one's side is help enough."
"Yes, thank you."
"Right."
Inariel fell silent after that.
He looked like a boy, but he was actually far older—an elder, really.
Whether "elder" fit an elf was debatable, but his vast experience was undeniable.
Somehow, her words brought him comfort.
As Rolange nodded, mulling over her advice, he noticed Inariel wasn't lifting her spoon anymore and sank back into self-doubt.
After finishing their meal and an impromptu sparring session, Yuri's group decided to rest there instead of departing right away.
Things in Joachim had wrapped up better than expected, leaving them some leeway.
Yuri approached Inariel, who stood quietly gazing at the forest.
Inariel glanced at him.
"Lady Inariel, what came of that matter?"
They hadn't had a chance to talk since encountering each other mid-battle with Yalta.
Hernando and Inariel had left to investigate the parchment.
Now back, there must be some results.
"The parchment?"
"Yes."
"Hernando's looking into it. He says something should turn up soon."
"I see."
"..."
"Is that the answer?"
"Yes."
"Did you find nothing yourself...?"
"Nothing."
"Ah, okay."
Yuri was greatly disappointed.
Inariel continued,
"But I agree this is no ordinary affair."
"Really?"
"Yuri Brioll."
Inariel called his name.
"You may not know, but mighty mages can't use their full power freely."
"Pardon?"
"Those permitted by the world to wield magic bear corresponding restraints."
"The mages I know drop fireballs like it's nothing."
"That's crude magic."
"There's stronger stuff?"
Inariel smirked.
"Imagine for yourself."
"Got it."
"But last time, there were no such restraints."
"Pardon?"
"I summoned rain. Such potent magic triggers restrictions."
"Just rain?"
Inariel furrowed her brow at Yuri's words.
"I created rain from nothing. Do you think defying nature's order is trivial?"
"Fair point."
"Yet it worked."
Grand Wizards were originally barred from intervening in human history.
But back then, Inariel felt no restrictions.
If anything, it was as if the world urged him to cast the spell.
Like a butterfly's wingbeat birthing a typhoon, weather-altering magic could unleash unpredictable aftermaths.
Yet the world allowed his intervention.
Inariel pondered its implications and soon faced a grave truth.
"The rules are breaking."
Grand Wizards couldn't meddle because their actions could disrupt the world's flow.
What if the opposite were true?
"Black magic doesn't belong to this world."
Indeed.
His rain wasn't interference—it was restoring natural order.
"The one who set the fire."
"Yalta?"
"That barbarian was likely already tainted by black magic."
"Yes, he was."
Yuri nodded.
During their duel in the burning forest, he'd sensed dark energy coiled within Yalta.
"Such a creature starting a fire—that wasn't natural flow."
Thus, the world desired rain.
The implications were enormous.
How dangerous black magic was.
And what threat the world faced.
As a Grand Wizard and Ten Strong elf, he felt it instinctively.
This wasn't mere mortal wars and endless cycles of history.
Left alone, the world itself might crumble.
Yuri shrugged.
"Good news, then."
"What?"
"Now you can fight properly, right Lady Inariel?"
"Well..."
"Burn all the black magic users to ash with fireballs. Will Hernando get stronger too? Shall we bomb the imperial palace? How far can you go?"
Watching Yuri speak so lightly, Inariel couldn't help but laugh in disbelief.
He surely understood what she'd said.
In fact, no one was more wary of black magic than this young, bold human prince.
Before he stepped up to confront that dark entity, neither he nor anyone else had even fought it—let alone recognized the danger.
Thus, this attitude stemmed not from ignorance, but innate cheerfulness.
"Fine. I'll consider it."
He himself had been gripped by grave concerns, yet the one most deeply involved stayed so positive.
Inariel felt his own spirits lighten somehow.
It bruised his pride that a mere child could shift his mood, but it was the truth.
For some reason, he thought that boy could pull it off.
Beings like black magic thrived on despair and feared hope.
Inariel spoke up.
"By the way, what's your connection to Marirose?"
"Pardon?"
"She was saying strange things about you..."
"You know Marirose?"
"At my level, I know most worthwhile mages."
"Whatever she said, I don't want to hear it. Is the parchment translation going well?"
"Hm..."
"What?"
"Any relation to Ekaterina, by chance?"
"W-What? Huh?"
"You're even more flustered."
"W-Why bring up that woman all of a sudden?"
"Marirose asked me to."
"Pardon?"