Chapter 196
Chapter 196
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 196
Chapter Title: 80. New Rules (1)
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Fiore and Cedric had vanished together.
The entire kingdom of Brioll was plunged into grief.
But they couldn't leave the throne vacant forever. Following the line of succession, Joshua ascended as the king of Brioll.
"You do it."
"What are you talking about? I'm already king."
"It suits you better than me."
"True enough."
"I..."
Joshua didn't particularly welcome the throne.
"I just prefer pulling strings from behind the scenes. Being king is too much pressure."
"What a model king you are."
Yuri shrugged.
"You worked hard on that research of yours, whatever it was. Economics, right? You can develop Brioll with that. Go ahead and spread your wings."
"With the Empire right at our doorstep? What's the point?"
"We need to prioritize properly."
"Seriously..."
Joshua sighed.
He had quickly accepted the absence of Fiore and Cedric, but he struggled to acknowledge that he now had to lead Brioll as its king.
"Just do it yourself."
"No way."
"Then what are you going to do?"
"Plenty to handle. But first..."
Yuri tapped the hilt of the sword at his waist.
"Time to clean house."
When all of Brioll's lords had gathered to stand against the Empire, some nobles had refused to cooperate.
Duke of Yuges, Genad Jeteri, and his faction were chief among them.
"With Father and Brother gone, Brioll's shaken. We need a common enemy right now."
"Yeah, I get that, but..."
"They don't even know I'm awake yet. Better strike now."
"You sure you can handle it?"
"Of course."
Yuri grinned.
"The sooner the surgery, the better."
"Got it."
Joshua pulled out a sheet of paper from beside him and scribbled something down in one go. Then he stamped it with the royal seal.
"Here. Take it."
"What's this?"
Yuri skimmed the contents.
It was an edict proclaiming him as the king's proxy. Joshua had delegated full authority to Yuri, allowing him to take any measures he deemed fit.
"This is..."
"You'll handle it well."
No matter how trusted, no one hands over such broad powers lightly.
It proved just how little interest Joshua had in the throne.
"Hey, you there. Anyone around?"
At Joshua's call, an attendant waiting outside the throne room entered.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Fetch me a document tube. For the edict."
"Right away."
He soon returned with one.
The edict tube was a cylindrical case designed to protect royal documents, intricately embossed with the Brioll royal crest.
"This adds some gravitas, huh?"
"Thanks."
"Nah. You're doing my job for me. I should be grateful."
Joshua leaned back in the throne, grumbling.
"Go beat the crap out of those bastards for me."
When Fiore was king, he had held back from fully purging Genad out of concern for the chaos it might cause in the kingdom.
But things were different now.
With Brioll already teetering, there was no reason to spare them.
Better to trigger a bigger quake and rally the people's hearts.
Joshua asked,
"You're not going alone, right? What about the others?"
"Well..."
Yuri trailed off momentarily.
In times like these, Rolang's name always came up first. He had been the most capable and loyal knight among those under Yuri's command.
But that man was gone now.
Yuri gave a wry smile and continued.
"I'll pick a suitable bunch. Jared's gathered the knights. And Simon and Guinness are back too..."
"Oh?"
"Grand Master Moyong Chan said he'd stay a bit longer before heading back. He was a guest originally, but he's practically Brioll now."
After chasing off Donchichi, Moyong Chan had remained in Liberda, training knights.
He was saddened by Brioll's news but chose not to return immediately. His plan was to impart some tricks against brute-force ogres before leaving.
"Alright, I'm off."
"Already?"
"No point delaying once it's set."
Yuri left the throne room without waiting for Joshua's reply. He immediately summoned the knights to the training grounds.
The roughly thirty knights Jared had assembled were all exceptionally talented. Selected under strict criteria, they were skilled enough not to drag Yuri down.
Yuri waited, arms crossed.
Soon, Jared, Simon, Guinness, and the others rushed in. Some looked baffled, as if summoned out of nowhere.
A few were seeing Yuri for the first time.
As they gauged the situation, Yuri cut straight to it.
"We're off to punish Brioll's traitors."
The knights' eyes widened at his words.
"While Brioll's knights fought the Empire, those scum sat on their hands, fretting only for themselves. They feasted and guzzled wine while our comrades died. We are Brioll. Those who shirk their duty in Brioll cannot call themselves nobles. Right?"
"Yes, sir!"
Simon and Guinness bellowed in response.
They had grown considerably stronger traveling with Moyong Chan.
Yuri grinned and pressed on.
"Our targets are Genad Jeteri and his trash noble cronies. We're going to make them answer for their crimes."
One knight raised his hand.
"Just us?"
Yuri nodded with a grin.
"Yeah."
They totaled around thirty. And Genad Jeteri was, undeniably, Brioll's mighty lord ruling Yuges.
It seemed reckless for such a force to take him on.
"Scared?"
"No, sir!"
"If you're scared, you're free to back out. Anyone like that, raise your hand now."
No one did.
Yuri met each one's gaze in turn.
He hadn't been involved when Jared gathered them. But now, assembled, most were familiar faces from his past life—comrades who had fought hard and perished under the Empire's blade.
Seeing them stirred joy in him.
"Good."
Awakening from his long slumber, the news of Fiore's disappearance had briefly filled him with despair.
Even regressing to the past, he couldn't avert tragedy, repeating the same path.
But he realized it wasn't entirely so.
He had changed much already.
This moment proved it. In his previous life, Genad escaped judgment. Not this time.
He wouldn't let everything unfold the same way.
Even if his resistance failed, he'd thrash to the end.
"We'll show everyone what happens to nobles who betray their duty. If all they do is indulge in pleasure, I'll drag them out myself."
With that, Yuri turned.
"Let's go!"
Their horses were already saddled. Yuri mounted up, and the rest followed.
They rode out from the palace.
It was the moment Yuri Brioll, dormant for so long, resumed his activities.
Yuri's group promptly left the capital and galloped toward Yuges.
"Hey, Jared."
"Yes, sir!"
"What'd you do while I was laid up?"
"Trained hard with the sword, visited your bedside, that sort of thing."
"Really?"
"Yes!"
"Then why'd you pack on so much weight?"
"I was so worried about you, Your Highness, I couldn't eat properly..."
"Couldn't eat, yet you gained weight?"
"So I ate a lot of snacks instead."
"Starve yourself."
"Pardon?"
"If you're not back to fighting weight by the end of this, you're done for."
"Isn't that too short a time?"
Jared had indeed bulked up considerably. Stress eating, apparently. But Yuri showed no mercy.
Better than letting him die to a blade on the battlefield.
"By the way, Your Highness."
One of the trailing knights spoke up.
"Are we really going just us?"
"You sound scared."
"Of course not! I'm just worried about you, sir."
"Good talker."
"I mean it."
They were only about thirty strong. Genad commanded his own private forces.
At a glance, it looked like eggs cracking against rock.
"Don't worry. I'll handle it."
Yuri had lain dormant for a month.
That time stretched far longer for him.
His heart demon had warped his mind, forcing him to wander endless nightmares. Agonizing as it was, separate from the pain, it became a chance for training.
Things once incomprehensible clicked. Forgotten insights resurfaced. Unfamiliar moves melded naturally into his body.
His mind was clearer than ever, his body brimming with power.
He had grown once more.
"There it is."
They had reached Yuges vicinity. Word of their departure—or even Yuri's awakening—hadn't spread.
Genad would be shocked when he heard.
Yuri already anticipated his expression.
Soon, they arrived at the gates.
The guards checking entrants panicked at the sudden arrival of a knightly band.
"Who are you?"
One knight stepped forward to greet Yuri.
Yuri jerked his chin.
"Can't you tell?"
"Well..."
"Yuri Brioll."
At his blunt reply, the guard knight stared blankly.
"Your Highness?"
"Yeah. Out of the way—we're in a hurry."
"You're safe..."
"You thought otherwise?"
"What brings you here?"
"Ho..."
Yuri grinned.
"Do I need to report myself?"
"Apologies, but that's my duty from the Duke."
"And if I refuse?"
"I'm sorry."
The guard eyed Yuri.
"You can't enter."
The knights behind Yuri bristled menacingly.
But the guard held firm.
"I'll inform the Duke first. Please wait."
With that, the gate guards took rigid positions.
Pedestrians sensing trouble hurried away. Yuri called to the guard.
"Hey, you."
"Yes."
"You can tell I'm not here for fun, right?"
Thirty armed knights followed Yuri.
"..."
"Your man runs to Genad, he hears we're here, prepares. I don't want the hassle."
"..."
"I'm not in a good mood right now."
Yuri dismounted.
Guilty clanked loudly at his waist.
"Meaning I won't hold back. Got it?"
"Yes..."
"I come with full authority from Joshua—no, His Majesty."
Yuri held up the tube emblazoned with the royal crest.
"Here as the king's proxy for Yuges. Last warning. Move."
"..."
The guard fell silent, then suddenly smiled.
"Your Highness, apologies. But Yuges is Duke Genad Jeteri's territory."
"So?"
"Here, the Duke's will is paramount."
With that, the gates began closing on the pedestrians.
"Please wait for the Duke's reply."
"Hmm..."
Fiore was gone. Brioll's strongest pillar had vanished abruptly.
Some nobles, long prostrate like the dead, now lifted their heads.
Yuri nodded.
He had never hesitated to spill blood.
"No."
Yuri swung his sword.
The guard's head fell.
No one reacted in time to the sudden strike.
Yuri then channeled sword aura into Guilty and smashed the gate.
The descending gate shuddered violently, jammed with a screech, and halted half-open.
Yuri shouted,
"Charge into Yuges! Our target is Yuges's fat pig, Genad Jeteri!"