Chapter 159
Chapter 159
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 159
Chapter Title: 66. History (2)
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The continent was on edge.
The empire was showing ominous signs of activity. Military drills had ramped up, and they had begun large-scale inspections of supplies and equipment.
High-ranking nobles and key knights were frequenting the imperial palace.
Anyone could see they were gearing up for something.
Perhaps the war with Joachim was merely the opening act.
So claimed the newspaper article.
"Hmm..."
Yuri, sitting with his legs crossed as he read the paper, let out a sigh.
"What on earth is the world coming to? Not a single peaceful day in sight."
He flipped to the next page. This one covered social issues.
"Ugh... What's to become of this country..."
At that moment, someone knocked.
Yuri set the newspaper down and said,
"Come in."
Yuri was currently in the VIP lounge at the Ireine Merchant Company's branch in the Klein Principality, waiting for a letter from Ireine.
While he waited, he'd picked up the newspapers on hand and gotten a rough sense of how the continent was faring.
The man who entered bowed politely. He was tall with a neat appearance.
"I'm Garfield, the branch manager here."
"Pleased to meet you."
"My apologies for keeping you waiting so long."
"No worries."
Yuri took the letter, then glanced at the man.
The Klein Principality was a modest city-state, but its economy was thriving, and the Ireine branch here was sizable—quite important to the company.
Garfield, who managed this branch, had clearly earned Ireine's trust through his abilities. She had a keen eye for people.
"Garfield, right?"
"Yes."
"I'd like to hear your thoughts. What do you make of the empire's recent moves?"
"The empire..."
Garfield chose his words carefully.
"It's deeply troubling."
"In what way?"
"It feels like they might be gearing up for war..."
"Doesn't it?"
"Yes."
"Elaborate."
"Most folks chalk it up to Joachim, but I doubt it'll stop there. The empire has the resources for more, and their actions lately have been too overt."
"If it doesn't end there?"
"They could very well clash with another nation. They've got the capacity."
Just the forces camped before Joachim could smash a middling kingdom, and that was a mere fraction of the empire's might.
They had more than enough power to widen any battlefield.
Their infamous numbered knight orders alone numbered well into the double digits.
"I see."
Yuri nodded as he tore open the letter.
"Do the other staff share that view?"
"Quite a few are worried."
"Got it."
Things were different from his previous life in every way.
Back then, the war had erupted out of nowhere.
Everything had been abrupt.
But this time, Joachim had bought them time, exposing the empire's suspicious maneuvers for all to see.
An event everyone fretted over was unlikely to come to pass easily.
Ambushes worked best when no one saw them coming.
In that sense, their position was far stronger than before.
Garfield bowed.
"Then I'll leave you to it. Rest well."
"Thanks."
He stepped out, giving Yuri space to read in peace.
Yuri scanned Ireine's letter.
"Hmm..."
It covered a range of topics.
First off, the eastern treasures had sold like hotcakes.
The empire's nobles were wild for the exotic goods, and Ireine was literally raking in fortunes.
Yuri smiled with satisfaction.
The harder she worked, the fatter his purse as majority shareholder grew.
"Splendid. As expected of Ireine."
He turned the page.
Next came news on Asana and Gorio.
"Hoo..."
The three who'd bonded fleeing the palace long ago had crossed paths as Yuri pursued ventures in various fields.
Asana and Gorio had never gotten along originally, while Ireine got on well enough with both.
But it seemed the two had patched things up somewhat.
When rescuing Joachim folk persecuted in the imperial capital, Gorio had stepped up—and Asana had backed him.
"I've changed one soul."
Above all, Yuri swelled with pride at Gorio's actions.
The man from his past life hadn't been the admirable sort.
"Well, if he hadn't turned around, I'd have killed him ages ago."
Yuri flipped the page again. Tucked inside was a smaller, sealed letter from Asana.
Opening it revealed her observations from the imperial palace.
Yuri's face grew grim.
The emperor did seem mentally unhinged.
He might be a victim himself—Yugen likely tampering with his mind.
It pained Yuri that black magic gripped the palace with no way to act.
"Sigh..."
Asana vowed to linger in the capital, watching the palace whenever chance allowed.
Yuri hated the idea, but the continent's crisis left no room for sentiment.
Back to Ireine's letter.
Her writing was usually crisp, but this held vague hints.
"What's this?"
It mentioned an intriguing new friend she'd introduce later. They'd furnished heaps of intel, so Yuri should treat them to a meal sometime.
"Why am I buying dinner for your friend?"
An uneasy foreboding stirred as he turned the page.
The rest were routine updates.
Finished, Yuri drew his fire seal sword from his bosom and incinerated the letter to ash.
He opened the window and scattered the cinders to the wind.
"Done."
Yuri exited the lounge. Garfield greeted him at the door.
"Thank you for gracing us."
"I had a fine rest, thanks to you."
"It was our honor."
Ireine had many gifts, chief among them spotting talent. Garfield ran a tight ship—the branch hummed efficiently, even on this brief visit.
Yuri clapped his shoulder.
"Until next time."
"Yes, sir."
They exchanged farewells, and Yuri stepped out of the Ireine Merchant Company.
Their company-run shop fronted the street, bustling with locals browsing goods.
A peaceful sight.
As he watched, a voice cut through.
"You..."
Yuri turned. A woman stood frozen, pointing at him.
An unfamiliar face.
"Me?"
"The Third Prince of Brioll? It is you, right?"
No need to hide his identity so close to Brioll—he'd been traveling openly.
Empire magazines had spread his fame, it seemed, even here in the Klein Principality.
Yuri nodded.
"That's right. Yuri Brioll. And you are?"
Her reaction proved more fervent than expected.
She rushed forward, clasped his hands, and bowed deeply.
"Hello. To run into you here—what a stroke of fate. I'm thrilled, Your Highness."
Tears brimmed in her voice.
He'd known his popularity surged post-coverage, but this intensity caught him off guard.
"Uh?"
"An honor to meet again. I wanted to thank you back then..."
As she began to sob, Yuri panicked.
Onlookers' stares soured.
Klein citizens tsked.
"Young punk making a girl cry..."
"Thinks his pretty face lets him cheat, huh."
"Pitiful sort."
"He'll shed blood tears one day."
Yuri felt utterly wronged.
Wasn't that a narrow view? They could be long-lost siblings or reunited savior and saved.
"Look, if you keep crying, I'm the one in trouble here."
"Ah, sorry. Yes."
She wiped her eyes and smiled.
Plain features. He'd remember any prior tangle, yet nothing rang a bell. Still, she clearly knew him.
"Startled you, huh?"
"A little."
"Old memories just flooded back..."
"You know me?"
"You wouldn't recall me, Your Highness."
Yuri exhaled in relief.
"Good. Fair enough."
Something told him not to let her slip away. He glanced around.
"Care for coffee and a chat over there?"
A cozy cafe sat nearby, tables and chairs spilling outdoors for open seating.
Yuri bought two drinks and joined her.
"Thank you. Coffee on top of everything..."
"It's nothing."
He was a prince—and Ireine's majority shareholder. Money was no object.
"So, how do you know me?"
"Well..."
Her face shadowed. After a pause, she spoke.
"When the Allied Forces rescued us..."
Instant clarity hit Yuri.
"Ah, that."
"Yes..."
She'd been among the orc captives.
The Klein Principality shared plains and borders with Brioll, perennial orc raid victims. Kidnappings had been rife before the Allied Forces' campaign.
"Without you, I'd never have escaped."
"It wasn't just me. The Allied Forces pulled together."
"But you led the charge."
"Suppose so."
Her name was Joan. Yuri asked,
"Glad to see you're thriving. How's daily life?"
"Good. Helping at my parents' shop."
"Business booming?"
"Holding steady."
They traded small talk.
"Keep in touch with the others?"
"A few."
"How are they faring?"
"Mixed bag. Some thriving, some not. What can you do..."
Orc abduction left scars no jest could erase—lifelong haunts for many victims.
Yuri tossed light jokes to lift her spirits. Her mood brightened.
"Folks shunned me at first, but time mends. It's fine now."
"Relieved to hear."
"Speaking of, I had a Brioll friend—lost touch after she returned. Shame. We were close; wished we'd exchanged letters."
"Busy building her life, no doubt."
"Yeah?"
"Fate will reunite you if it's meant."
"Hope so."
Chat wrapped, they rose.
Joan said,
"Pinching myself—this feels like a dream. Bumping into you, coffee from the prince, sharing stories..."
"Spread word of my fine character, will you?"
"Hehe, count on it."
"Till fate crosses our paths again."
"Yes. Farewell."
The brief encounter ended with bows and parting ways.
Yuri watched her retreating figure for a spell.
In his past life, tales like hers—orc victims' fates—had never reached him.
What became of that timeline's Joan?
She'd likely perished before long.
A sacrifice devoid of meaning.
Not a whisper in the histories; countless souls simply erased.
The empire's predations would echo that tragedy.
Fail to halt them, and hordes would perish forgotten, like that Joan.
"What a weight on these shoulders."
Yuri muttered, turning away.
Back in Brioll, he'd found a foundation for orc victims. Tying it to the Allied Forces veterans' association sounded promising.
"So much to do."
Yuri chuckled wryly.
Would even his efforts etch into history?