Chapter 200
Chapter 200
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 200
Chapter Title: 80. New Rules (5)
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Genad Jeteri.
The greedy Duke of Yuges.
He might not have excelled at much else, but he had an exceptional talent for sniffing out the scent of power.
If he had been born in the Empire, he probably would have enjoyed far greater wealth and glory.
But that was a meaningless what-if.
Genad was a noble of Brioll, and thus, he met his end with a prince's blade through his throat.
"Gurk..."
Fallen to the ground, Genad rolled his eyes in disbelief.
Yuri showed no particular interest in him. Just as one wouldn't bother checking on a dying fly writhing on the floor, Yuri pierced Genad's throat and immediately turned his gaze away.
And so, Genad died pathetically, leaving only a gurgling death rattle behind.
"Hey, Genad's knight. What's your name?"
As always, Yuri asked for the name of the person who had caught his interest.
He was the knight who had blocked Genad's path at the very end.
"I... I am Visius."
"Visius, huh. Nice name. Will you die, or will you join me?"
"Pardon?"
"If you protected Genad out of loyalty to him, then just die now. But if it was your duty as a knight, then come to me."
Yuri grinned.
"I think your life could be put to better use elsewhere. If you're going to stake it, do so on a worthier cause. In other words, serve a true liege like me."
Jared, standing behind him, grumbled.
"Wow, saying it himself..."
"Shut up."
Visius hesitated.
A knight who had just lost his lord couldn't shamelessly pledge loyalty to the very man who killed him.
But his concerns were unfounded.
"Spare me!"
"I pledge my loyalty to the prince!"
"We hated Genad too!"
Before he could even respond, everyone in the room dropped to their knees before Yuri, swearing their allegiance.
There was no such thing as honor here.
Visius's mouth fell open.
"Uh..."
"Look at them, Visius. I get what you're thinking, but is pride really that important? If it is, I won't stop you. I'll just take your head."
"If I follow you, Your Highness, then I..."
"Then, when you eventually die on an enemy's blade, you won't hesitate like you did just now."
"Uh..."
"Well, not dying at all would be best."
How blessed was the honor of facing death with a clear conscience?
Visius recalled the turmoil that had swirled in his mind while protecting Genad moments ago.
Standing before death had made him honest with himself.
His body had moved, but he hadn't wanted to die for a man like that.
Visius nodded immediately.
"It's shameful, but I will follow you, Your Highness."
"Good. You won't have anything to be ashamed of from now on. Come over here and stand with my men."
Yuri beckoned him.
"Uh..."
"It'll feel awkward at first, but they're still getting used to it too, so just play it cool and bond."
"Yes..."
"Everyone, get along now. Got it?"
It was a bit too casual, herding them like children, but Visius simply joined the knights following Yuri.
"Hey, Visius."
"Dalton?"
"Long time no see."
He even ran into a knight he knew there.
And just like that, Visius joined Yuri's group.
Having haphazardly recruited one more knight, Yuri pressed the subordinate who had been assisting Genad.
"Hey, remember what I said? Call all the nobles who followed Genad."
"Pardon?"
"Hurry up and summon them."
He was the sleazy type who had smirked while trailing Genad, playing the role of a schemer.
"Most of them are in nearby territories, so they'll come quickly."
"Ah, understood!"
He was quick on the uptake.
To earn Genad's favor in the first place, one had to be skilled at bootlicking. So he nodded without argument.
"Yes, Bordo! I'll do my utmost for Your Highness! Loyalty!"
"Loyalty my ass. Wanna die?"
"Sorry!"
"Just do your job."
The man named Bordo fetched Genad's seal and began drafting letters.
"Quite a few, huh."
There were over ten.
Bordo prepared the letters, stamped them with the seal, sealed them with the Jeteri family crest, and lined up the messengers. He warned them sternly not to leak this to the outside, even kicking the shins of those whose eyes wavered.
"Get your heads straight! Understand?"
"Yes!"
"Your fates hang on these letters. Bring back the best results with utter determination!"
"Yes!"
"Go!"
The disciplined messengers filed out of the room.
Yuri watched from the window as ten horses departed the castle one by one.
"Bordo."
"Yes!"
"Don't get cocky."
Yuri kicked his shin.
Bordo hopped around but wore a smile.
"Heh heh, sorry."
He truly had a natural talent for flattery. Quick-witted too—if used properly, he could be useful.
"Bordo, right? What's your life goal?"
"Pardon?"
"Wealth? Honor? Why'd you work so hard for Genad?"
"Well, I..."
Bordo rolled his eyes.
As Yuri's tone grew serious, he dropped the bootlicking and gave a more honest answer. His read on the mood was impressive.
"Money. Honestly, it was for the money. To make a fortune and have a vixen wife and bunny-like kids..."
"Stop there."
"Yes. Money."
"Got it. I'll give you more than Genad did, so follow my orders from now on."
"Would I dare refuse? Then I'll head to the capital..."
"No, you stay in Yuges."
"Th-that means you're making me the duke...?"
"Of course not, you madman. You think I'm crazy?"
"Ah, yes. Yes..."
"I'm telling you to manage the one who'll eventually rule Yuges. Got it?"
"Ah, understood."
"Mess around, and that's what happens."
Yuri nodded toward the center of the room.
Genad's corpse lay abandoned, blood pooling thickly on the floor from his body.
Yuri's thrust had passed cleanly by Visius, piercing Genad's throat.
To most eyes, Yuri seemed like a swordsman who had reached an unfathomable realm.
"Summon all of Genad's blood kin too. Let's wrap this up today."
With Joshua's letter granting him authority as the king's proxy, no one opposed Yuri anymore. Even the knights who had resisted for Genad now acknowledged him.
He had completely seized Yuges Castle.
Yuri ransacked Genad's office and found several hidden crystal orbs, along with correspondence exchanged with the Empire.
"Just as I thought."
It didn't seem deeply entangled, but it was ample proof that the Empire had been trying to undermine Brioll from within.
The presumed black mage, however, appeared to have already fled.
"Your Highness."
As Yuri sifted through documents, Jared approached.
"I've assembled the entire Jeteri family."
"Good work."
Yuri left the office with Jared.
The Jeteri family members sat in the grand hall where Genad had always held banquets, confused about the summons.
But they fell silent upon seeing Yuri's face.
"Hey, good to see you all."
Yuri sat in the head seat, crossing his legs. He looked at Genad's legitimate wife beside him and said,
"Genad's gone. Sorry for your loss."
After a brief silence, she closed her eyes and nodded.
"Yes."
There was no lingering attachment.
She might have foreseen this day would come.
"He had too many sins. I could overlook the backdoor dealings, but colluding with the Empire? Couldn't let him live. Right?"
No real reaction came. Everyone kept their heads bowed in silence.
Yuri shrugged. Knowing Genad's temperament, he could imagine how poorly he'd treated even his own kin. They might even be relieved deep down.
Yuri continued.
"Simple reason I called you. Someone has to succeed Genad."
Several who had their heads bowed suddenly looked up.
Yuri smirked.
"Getting interested now? Everyone who just raised their heads, stand up."
While Yuri was sorting out Yuges, Cory was in dire straits.
"Hey, you."
Cory bowed to the man.
"Come quietly. Got it?"
"Yes..."
Cory's hands were bound in manacles infused with a curse that suppressed mana, preventing him from casting spells.
He could only stagger unsteadily as the man led him.
"Walk straight."
"Y-yes..."
Cory reflected on recent events.
How had it come to this?
He had been learning word magic under Cruar.
Though born with the Word Engine aptitude, he was still clumsy, and its functions hadn't fully awakened, slowing his progress.
Still, Cory trained diligently.
He wanted to master word magic completely someday and aid Yuri.
Then, one day, Cruar said,
'Brioll is in danger. The great dragon Cruar could help them escape crisis, but the contract with the Empire might make it difficult...'
'Really?'
'The great dragon Cruar doesn't speak idly.'
Cory grew anxious.
He occasionally visited villages for supplies and checked Brioll's situation each time.
The Empire had set up camp at Bezos. Fiore Brioll, the continent's strongest swordsman, and his son Cedric Brioll had gone missing. Yuri Brioll lay unconscious.
As bad news piled up, Cory resolved to leave.
But Cruar refused.
'Cory. I can't let you go until you've fully mastered word magic. If you want to leave, master it first.'
She laid down conditions.
But waiting that long might mean Brioll wouldn't survive.
So Cory went to the village on the pretext of buying supplies and set off straight for Brioll.
He felt bad about Cruar, but it was unavoidable.
Not long after, he was captured by a band of brigands and sold into slavery.
"You're oddly unique-looking and seem to handle magic, so selling you to a circus troupe will make good money."
"Slavery is banned on the continent..."
"What nonsense?"
The slave trader burst out laughing.
"No one around here will complain. The Empire's nobles tacitly approve it. They need it, so they look the other way."
Cruar's lair was in a remote mountain in the Empire's northwest.
Diametrically opposite Brioll in the continent's southeast. The local customs felt entirely different.
"No rebellion, no beatings. Hitting a wretch like you would just be pitiful."
"Should I be grateful?"
"Just saying."
The slave trader took Cory to a small village.
Unlike Brioll's tidy, cheerful villages, locals here eyed each other warily with fierce glares.
A shabby little circus troupe wandered the village outskirts.
"Not buying."
"Just check the merchandise."
The circus leader, initially uninterested, widened his eyes at Cory's appearance.
A half-orc, straight out of tales.
But he could speak, and held his body decently.
"Handles magic too?"
"Yeah. Clumsy, but he wields mana. Not dangerously, though. A few beatings scattered his wits—no more magic."
"These manacles included?"
"Yep. These alone seal his mana. Unlock for performances. A magic-using mongrel—how novel?"
"Ugly as sin. But magic? Smarter than most mutts, I guess."
"Exactly. Magic, and his speech flows like water. Even uses big words. Spouts lies about being pals with Brioll's third prince..."
Cory bristled.
"It's not a lie."
"Shut it."
Cory crumpled to the ground from the slave trader's fist.
"Spoiled you, and now you interrupt adults?"
He hadn't been violent before, but grew prickly at deal time.
Cory wiped his bloody nose and stood.
The slave trader and circus leader continued negotiating.
"Performing for Empire nobles soon, right?"
"Yeah, but..."
"Your usual act enough? Need novelties like this."
"Magic mongrel. Curious, but not impressive."
"Smart enough to train. Make him oink like a pig?"
"Pig?"
"Act like an ugly piglet, then bam—magic. Shock value, no?"
"That's decent."
The haggling ended.
Cory was sold to the circus at a high price.
The slave trader warned earnestly.
"Fool around, and there's a bounty on you. An ugly mug like yours can't hide. Behave—my reputation's on the line."
"Slave traders have reputations?"
"Backtalk."
He raised his fist but sighed instead.
"Everyone has their lot. What else could you do? Look in a mirror. Tsk tsk..."
Cory was furious but held back.
"You'll regret this later."
"Sure."
His looks were hideous, true.
But in Brioll, people had warmly accepted even him and taught him magic.
He longed to see them again.
So as the circus leader dragged him away, he said,
"Let me go."
"What?"
"Fine. If I make you lots of money, free me. Deal?"
"Hmm..."
"Otherwise, no performing, nothing. Kill me if you want."
"Fine, deal."
"Really?"
"Most troupe members are like you. Pay off your debt, you're free. Interest accrues, though. Usually, they return anyway. What can you do out there?"
"I have things to do."
"Then work hard."