Chapter 166
Chapter 166
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 166
Chapter Title: 69. Transformation (2)
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"Larson is dead. Sibylla has the strongest claim to succession. Of course, the other claimants all gave theirs up."
"How did Larson die?"
"Cause of death is unknown."
Yuri was conversing with a guest.
It was Vlad.
He had left the imperial capital to visit Brioll. For Yuri, it was a welcome visitor. He needed to know the situation in the Holy Kingdom.
"And the temple?"
"They're staying silent because they don't know the details. With Larson's sudden death, Sibylla becoming king makes sense."
"Why attack Burssen?"
"The Holy Kingdom and Burssen have traditionally had poor relations. They share a border. There was a long dispute over control of the Alas region..."
Alas was the land sandwiched between Burssen and the Holy Kingdom.
It was a prime wine-producing area with substantial tax revenue, so both countries vied to incorporate it into their territory.
The land had changed hands repeatedly, but lately, Burssen had been in control.
The Holy Kingdom took issue with that and invaded Burssen, leading to the conflict escalating rapidly.
War had broken out in an instant.
Yuri's head began to throb.
It wasn't just that the Holy Kingdom had withdrawn from the alliance—they had become enemies outright.
With Liberda joining in, there was no way the alliance could function properly amid the chaos.
Now, only the Empire and Brioll remained.
"I see. So that's how it is."
Yuri fell deep into thought.
Vlad gave a wry smile.
It would have been better to chat leisurely about the drug rehab clinic. Now, even that business felt utterly pointless.
The continent had been swept into a maelstrom of war in the blink of an eye.
"That poison changed so much."
The Emperor had risen up, claiming there had been an assassination attempt with poison in Yoheim.
That's when it all began.
But Vlad wasn't naive enough to take the imperial palace's announcement at face value.
"I miss the days when I could meet Your Highness in the imperial capital. Why is the Empire going this far?"
"The reason, huh."
"Yes. The Empire is in its heyday of prosperity. It's more affluent than ever. There's no need to start a war."
"The Emperor must have gone mad."
"You think so?"
Vlad nodded readily at Yuri's words.
It sounded offhand, but it was the most convincing explanation.
Ivar had been a reasonably competent Emperor. Perhaps even better than that. He wasn't harsh, nor incompetent.
For him to suddenly rampage like this, madness fit perfectly.
"Maybe the poison half-succeeded."
Yuri shrugged.
"So, Your Highness."
"Hm?"
"I have a request."
"Something unreasonable?"
"Perhaps."
Vlad got to the point.
"Your Highness has ties to both Burssen and the Holy Kingdom."
"I know a few people."
"Please mediate."
He leaned forward.
"This isn't the time to fight. Everyone knows something's off with the Empire."
"What's the mood in the capital?"
"Hostility toward foreign nations has reached a peak. Unnaturally so. It's a powder keg ready to blow."
Yuri nodded.
He had been hearing about the capital's atmosphere through Gorio continuously.
Imperials were persecuting Yoheim natives nonstop and casting cold glares at people from other countries.
The vibe was one of rejecting anyone not imperial.
Vlad must have felt it too.
"Well..."
Yuri tapped the table.
"It won't work."
"Pardon?"
"Sibylla won't listen to me."
Yuri had received a letter from Sibylla just before Vlad arrived.
There wasn't much in it.
She had invoked the 'wish voucher' Yuri had given her long ago.
It simply asked him not to question or pry into this matter—just to stand by.
It was her indirect way of saying she wouldn't turn back.
Of course, Yuri had no intention of being bound by some wish voucher in this situation, but he had no way to intervene either. He couldn't lead Brioll's army to aid Burssen right now.
"I have Brioll to worry about first."
Reports were coming in that the Empire's army had begun moving.
They were heading for Brioll.
The nations in between would all yield passage.
Brioll had started preparations too. Fiore, breaking his long silence, had inspected the troops and checked on the knight orders.
Cedric and Joshua were also returning to the capital.
"Sigh..."
Vlad shook his head.
"Why is everyone changing like this?"
"Changing..."
"It feels like only the gods in heaven remain unchanged."
"I see."
Yuri nodded.
The Emperor had changed, and Sibylla had changed.
People change, sure, but this was too extreme.
There had to be something behind it.
Maybe Sibylla had been corrupted by black magic too.
Yuri suddenly recalled the letter from her. Until recently, her situation had been poor due to Larson's checks. Even joining the temple knights had been blocked by him.
"Sibylla couldn't join the temple knights."
"Yes..."
"Because of Larson?"
"That's how it turned out, but it was just delayed. If given more time, eventually..."
"The temple bears responsibility too."
"Well..."
"If they made a promise, they should keep it."
Vlad fell silent.
Yuri sighed.
"When do you plan to return to the Holy Kingdom?"
"Now that I've seen Your Highness, I'll head back right away."
"You'll have to do better than me."
"Yes."
"Sir Hose went back furious."
Vlad swallowed hard at those words.
Not long ago, Hose had been recognized as one of the Ten Strongest.
It wasn't an official title cut in stone, but as people started naming their top ten, he was consistently included.
Hose was that strong.
Moreover, sparring with various opponents in Brioll had elevated him further.
"The Holy Knight won't step in."
"Probably not."
"Then it'll be hard to stop Sir Hose."
The Holy Knight rarely intervened.
Especially not when the Holy Kingdom struck first like this.
Without him, there was no knight who could properly check Hose.
"At least a letter..."
"Sibylla won't listen anyway."
Instead of sending some half-hearted letter, Yuri decided to stay put.
"She must have intended this from the start to go through with it. You know her."
"Yes..."
She wasn't indecisive.
Having done it, she'd see it through to the end.
Yuri considered various hypotheses.
The most plausible was that the Empire promised to make her king in exchange for her attacking Burssen.
"Looks like Larson did worse than I thought."
"They say he tried to rush her marriage, ignoring her wishes. And various other things..."
"Foolish moves."
"He was especially wary of Sibylla. If I'd known it'd come to this, I should have tried harder to stop him."
"Water under the bridge."
It was beyond words now anyway. Talking would just be armchair theorizing.
"The era of war is upon us again, Vlad. Prepare to pray."
"Mm..."
Vlad's face darkened.
Yuri chuckled softly.
He had spent most of his previous life in war. Even after Brioll fell, he'd wandered blood-soaked battlefields.
Since returning to the past, he'd always prepared for this time.
It had simply arrived.
Unlike the fidgety Vlad, Yuri felt his mind settling calmly.
"Is the clinic still running?"
"Yes, but regardless of revenue, I wonder if it even matters. The drugs have spread too far."
"Weakened people fall easily to the devil's temptations. The temple has a big role—do your best."
Suddenly, Jared knocked from outside.
"Your Highness. May I enter?"
"Come in."
He opened the door, gave Vlad a silent nod of respect, then addressed Yuri.
"An envoy from the Empire has arrived."
"Oh?"
"His Majesty summons Your Highness."
"Got it."
Yuri stood.
"Vlad, will you wait?"
"No. I'll return to the kingdom."
"Alright."
Yuri extended his hand.
The age of war had come. They might never meet again, no matter who fell.
"Hope we meet again."
"God will guide us."
They shook hands.
After seeing Vlad off, Yuri headed straight to Fiore's palace.
Fiore was slouched crookedly on the throne, with the foreign minister and other retainers waiting.
"You're here."
"Yes."
Yuri sat beside him.
Fiore jerked his chin immediately.
"Let him in."
One Royal Guard nodded and stepped out.
Soon, the imperial envoy appeared.
A familiar face.
"I pay respects to His Majesty, King of Brioll."
It was Hassan.
Their eyes met, but he merely bowed his head silently.
Hassan, Yugen's direct subordinate, coming as envoy suggested the crown prince had seized real power.
Fiore spoke.
"Raise your head."
"Y-yes."
"Why are you here?"
"That is..."
Hassan's shoulders visibly shrank.
"I-I came because..."
Yuri could tell Fiore was emanating pressure on him.
Fiore rarely intimidated anyone like this.
It meant he was deeply displeased.
Yuri felt a strange sense of relief. Something absent in his previous life—Fiore Brioll, his father, entering the fray—was becoming reality.
It would be a terror to the Empire.
"To hold Brioll... accountable..."
"Accountable?"
"Y-yes..."
In the heavy silence, only Fiore responded.
They'd sent a powerhouse like Hassan deliberately to convey a threatening intent, but it meant nothing before Fiore.
"Wh-what..."
Hassan wasn't just scared.
Fiore's tangible aura was pressing on his body.
The surrounding retainers looked puzzled, tilting their heads, but Yuri and the knights and guards felt Fiore's presence indirectly.
"Accountable for what?"
"For Yoheim..."
Hassan swallowed and continued.
"Supporting their forces..."
"What forces?"
"We received intelligence that a group of knights has been traveling between Yoheim and Brioll."
Likely referring to the guerrilla training.
"Yoheim is a wicked group that tried to poison His Imperial Majesty, so Brioll, supporting them, bears responsibility too..."
"Ah."
Fiore nodded.
"We trained Yoheim's knights."
"Exactly..."
"But that was before the Emperor claimed he was poisoned."
"It's not a mere claim."
"Whatever."
"Even after that, Brioll continued training their forces."
"So, what do you plan to do about it?"
"If this continues, we can't sit idly by. It will lead to war."
"We won't."
"Pardon?"
"We'll just train the knights already here, and stop after. That good enough?"
"Uh..."
The guerrilla training facilities were already set up in Yoheim anyway.
The training regimen had been fully handed over, and instructors could be sent if needed.
Fiore shrugged.
"Satisfied?"
"However."
Hassan mustered his strength and spoke again.
"You've already contributed to Yoheim's atrocities, so Brioll must take responsibility."
"What responsibility?"
"We demand reparations."
"What kind?"
Hassan took a deep breath and said,
"Since Brioll made Yoheim so brazen, provide troops to strike Yoheim. This is His Imperial Majesty's decree: reap what you have sown."
They piled on various conditions after that, but all were impossible.
The conclusion was clear.
The Empire intended to attack Brioll.
Fiore glanced at Yuri.
"Yuri."
"Yes."
"I heard that story. When the orc envoy came urging surrender, what did you do?"
"I cut off its head and sent back the flag."
"Why?"
"Because it spouted nonsense."
"I see."
Then Fiore stared piercingly at Hassan again.
Hassan trembled.
Not just from fear. He was struggling to breathe.
Fiore rose from his seat.
As the pressure lifted, Hassan collapsed, gasping.
"You've changed."
"Hahk, hahk. Pardon?"
"Changed."
Fiore descended from the throne.
"Ivar has changed."
"H-how disrespectful."
"The Ivar I knew wouldn't pull stunts like this..."
Fiore muttered, using a familiar tone as if they were acquainted.
Yuri hadn't known of any connection between him and the Empire's Emperor.
Fiore walked up to Hassan and asked,
"Does black magic ensnare people that badly?"
Silence fell.
Even Hassan held his breath.
Yuri was a bit taken aback too. He hadn't expected it said so openly.
Then Yuri chuckled.
At this point, there was no need to hide it from each other.
"Get out. Before I kill you."
At Fiore's words, Hassan stared blankly before leaping up.
He fled without regard for dignity.
No one laughed at the sight.
Fiore's back was too heavy.
Many things had changed.
Sibylla, the Emperor—they all wore new faces.
But they weren't the only ones changing.
Soon, they would witness with their own eyes the transformed form of Fiore, the supreme Swordmaster who had slumbered for so long.