Chapter 161
Chapter 161
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 161
Chapter Title: 67. Heart Demon (1)
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Yuri was dreaming.
He realized this because something utterly impossible was happening.
Brioll was under siege, on the brink of total annihilation, when his father—who he'd thought was gone for good—suddenly returned and slaughtered the imperial forces.
Yalta was cleaved in two, the Black Knight admitted defeat and retreated, and even the ogre was too terrified to charge.
Brioll was saved, and with the empire ending the war, the continent regained its peace.
After the war, Cedric ascended the throne and ruled Brioll wisely, leading everyone to a happy ending.
It would have been nice if that were true.
But since it was impossible, Yuri knew this had to be a dream.
"Huh."
Yet he didn't wake up.
"What's wrong, Yuri?"
"No, nothing."
Cedric, seated on the throne, tilted his head as he looked down at him.
Joshua, standing beside him, snickered.
"This guy's lost in thought or something? Right in front of His Majesty?"
"Joshua."
"Insolent. Yuri. That's treason, treason."
"Uh..."
Yuri tilted his head for a moment. It felt too real to be a dream.
"What's with that dumb look? Did you just wake up?"
"No."
"You look like you have no idea where you are. Hey. Where do you think this is?"
"Well..."
As Yuri trailed off, even Cedric's expression grew serious, and he adjusted his glasses.
"What's wrong, Yuri?"
"Nothing."
"Yuri. What's going on? Tell me. Where are we?"
"...A dream?"
"What?"
Yuri froze. In dreams, the world never looked this sharp. But he could see every detail of Cedric's pupils and the worry gleaming within them.
He clenched and unclenched his hand. The sensation was vivid.
"Calling this a dream? Treating us like dream characters? Man, this guy's completely lost it."
"Joshua, stop. He's joking."
"Look at his eyes. He's serious."
"Joshua..."
The two stared at Yuri—Joshua with suspicion, Cedric with concern.
Yuri looked back and forth between them.
"This is a dream, right?"
Cedric and Joshua answered in unison.
"No."
"No."
Yuri nodded.
"Yeah, it's a dream."
There was no way those two would speak in perfect sync like that.
"Guess I need to wake up then."
He closed his eyes. Normally, in situations like this, he'd tense his whole body while keeping them shut, and he'd wake right up.
"Guh!"
Joshua scoffed.
"Taking a dump?"
"Uh..."
Yuri opened his eyes.
"This really isn't a dream?"
"Treating us like dream people. Bro—no, Your Majesty. You gonna let this slide?"
"Yuri. You okay?"
Their voices overlapped in a tangle.
Yuri felt like they were actors in a play. Nothing else explained this absurdity.
But still, he didn't wake up.
Yuri had to admit it.
"This isn't a dream."
Then again, he'd already returned to the past once. Jumping to the future—or some other world—wouldn't be that strange.
Joshua asked,
"If this is a dream, what's your 'real' reality like? What kind of beautiful bullshit dream made you mistake reality for a dream?"
"Well..."
It seemed he'd come to the future. All the signs pointed that way.
Too vivid for a dream, so Yuri decided to accept this as a new reality.
Still dazed, he said,
"What happened to the empire?"
"What?"
Even Joshua looked serious now. Cedric asked,
"Did you really have a dream?"
Yuri thought about it. Maybe he had dreamed it all.
His past life, when Brioll burned, and all his efforts to avoid repeating those mistakes—suddenly it all felt so distant.
He scrutinized Joshua's face, then said,
"Maybe."
"What was the dream? Spill it. Now I'm curious too."
"Hmm..."
Yuri explained.
"So, the empire..."
He gave a brief rundown. Cedric and Joshua exchanged glances.
"Just an old dream."
"Old dream?"
"Did you lose your memory or something? You dreamed it way too deep."
Joshua said,
"Father stopped the empire in the end, and now it's completely fractured."
"How?"
"I gotta explain every detail?"
Cedric cut in.
"Enough. Yuri, go rest first. You don't look well."
Music to Yuri's ears.
He wanted out of there. He needed to calmly assess the situation.
Joshua grumbled but nodded at Cedric's words.
"Alright then."
Yuri bowed to Cedric as he once did to his father. Awkward, but he'd imagined doing this someday, so it came naturally.
He left the two behind and headed straight to his quarters.
"Ah, Your Highness."
Ena appeared. A bit more mature with age, but still the same as ever.
"In a rush today. Did you cause some trouble?"
"Ena."
"Yes?"
"Got some questions."
Yuri pulled Ena into his room, sat her down, and grilled her on everything.
From right before he arrived in this future to everything that had happened since.
Ena explained patiently.
Everything Yuri wanted had come true.
The empire's aggression halted, black magic purged, the continent enjoying peace and prosperity. Every headache resolved.
Like the perfect backdrop for simply living life.
"This isn't a dream, right?"
"No. It is a dream. Actually, I was just about to wake you up, Your Highness. You talk in your sleep."
Yuri chuckled.
"Yeah. Not a dream."
"Of course not."
"Damn..."
"I've got things to do. You planning to keep on about dreams?"
"No. Go ahead."
Ena stood. Instead of leaving right away, she patted his head gently before turning.
"Our prince must've had a scary dream. Rest up."
After she left, Yuri slumped on the bed and stared at the ceiling.
"Can't believe this..."
Regressing once wasn't enough—now the future? What kind of weird phenomenon was this?
But it didn't feel bad.
The knots in his chest were all untied.
For the first time, Yuri truly felt complete peace.
His heart had always carried a burden like a boulder on his back. Now, he felt free to do anything.
He lay back, rolled once.
Rolled the other way twice.
Even this silly behavior felt like no waste in this world.
"Heh heh heh..."
Yuri chuckled lowly. Ideas for what to do bubbled up.
Taking Rolang and Jared on a trip sounded good.
Visiting Hosen in Bursen would be nice.
Seeing their statues in Yoheim, or heading east to explore a new world.
"I wonder how Master Moyong Chan is doing?"
He didn't know the future well yet, so no clue if they were okay.
Then.
Yuri sensed a presence in the corner of the room.
Inside the wardrobe.
"Huh?"
He got up and approached.
A faint vibrating hum.
Yuri stepped back, eyeing the wardrobe door. Firmly shut. The mysterious resonance continued.
He flung it open.
Just clothes. Nothing else.
"Hm..."
Then it vibrated again.
His eyes went to the edge inside.
Something was there.
"Ah..."
Yuri recognized it instantly. Wrapped in fine cloth, only the outline visible, but unmistakable.
Why was this thing shoved here like this?
He picked it up.
Guilty.
His sword, abandoned like that.
Maybe peace had lasted so long he'd stopped wielding it.
Such thoughts crossed his mind as he unwrapped the cloth.
The word meaning "guilt" still engraved on the blade.
The moment it settled fully in his grip, Guilty rang out long and clear.
"Ah..."
Yuri realized.
The moment he grasped the sword, everything he'd just let go of lightly settled back onto his chest.
The empire.
War.
Black magic.
Deaths.
Anxiety and fear flooded his heart. He wanted to drop Guilty right away. But it wouldn't leave his hand, filling his body with unease.
The instant he gripped the sword, Yuri and the world separated.
Guilt swelled.
Brioll's fall from his previous life flashed by like an illusion.
His eased mind tensed again.
He clenched the hilt tighter. Memories of life-or-death battles flooded in—from fighting orcs, to the empire, Adelwein, and Yoheim. The stench of blood assaulted his senses.
His heart pounded.
Tension coursed through him.
Yuri saw the scenery shift around Guilty.
As if the sword and world vied for territory, the ground beneath him turned to wasteland.
Guilty trembled again.
In that moment, he recalled a forgotten gruesome face.
The empty sockets of the dead stared at Yuri.
"Right."
His heart sank.
"I haven't forgotten."
He looked up.
The land he stood on was barren, but a few steps away, the peaceful palace shimmered like a mirage.
He raised Guilty.
Peace's afterglow lingered in his chest.
He didn't want to leave.
But Guilty in his hand urged him relentlessly. So much to do—wake up already—it wailed madly.
Yuri nodded.
"How do I wake up?"
Guilty showed the way.
The answer was always obvious.
No choice. He'd taken the sword, sworn Brioll's oath. His only option: cut down enemies.
Yuri gripped Guilty.
And slashed.
The world split in two.
Yuri opened his eyes. He gasped for breath. His heart raced.
"Hah, hah..."
"Awake?"
A voice addressed him suddenly.
Yuri turned.
"Uh..."
"Dreaming still?"
Moyong Chan stood there.
Yuri sat up, looking around. He lay on the palace lawn, only Moyong Chan beside him.
"What..."
"What were you doing?"
"Me?"
Yuri searched his memory.
"I was talking with Ena..."
"Not fully awake yet."
"All a dream?"
"It was."
"Why am I here..."
"Forget the dream. No memory of this reality? What were you doing up to now?"
"I, well..."
Yuri rummaged through memories. They felt so distant.
"Uh..."
"Bernard."
"Ah, right."
Yuri nodded.
"Sparred with Bernard. Wrapped it up, heading back..."
"Collapsed."
"Yes."
"Then dreamed."
"Something like that. Was it a dream?"
"Yuri Brioll. Listen well."
Yuri noticed Moyong Chan's speech had suddenly sharpened.
Meaning he was dead serious.
"You said Heart-Soul Severing holds the Heavenly Demon's martial arts."
"Yes."
"What you just saw is called a heart demon."
Yuri's eyes widened.
"What's that?"
"The chaos embedded in the Heavenly Demon's martial arts is consuming you."
"Uh..."
"See? Still out of it."
"Just a dream."
"Not that simple. Quite serious, in fact."
Moyong Chan sighed.
The trial facing his disciple was no light matter.
"Yuri Brioll. Listen well."
He hated saying this.
But it was the only solution he knew.
"From now on, don't touch a sword."