Chapter 206
Chapter 206
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 206
Chapter Title: 82. Friend (4)
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The moment Yuri swallowed, he straightened his shoulders and answered.
"The Pope."
Yuri unwittingly rose from his seat. He was just about to bend his always rigid erector spinae to bow.
"Just kidding."
He held out his palm as if to say, don't bother with formalities.
"I said it because I was afraid you'd be disappointed. I'm just a lowly temple civil servant. I was only hanging around in case you two caused trouble."
"Ah."
"No grand secrets or hidden identities. Just an ordinary citizen living a quiet life."
"Your name?"
"Luther."
"Right, Luther. Nice to meet you."
Yuri sat back down and extended his hand for a shake.
"People like you are the true seeds of the Holy Kingdom."
"Isn't 'seed' a bit too small?"
"That's why it's the perfect metaphor. You nearly gave my back muscles a shock."
Yuri lightened the mood.
"Anyway, now we have three big shots and two seeds gathered. Let's talk properly."
Fenek and Luther tilted their heads at each other. Meanwhile, Francesco and Umshutain grinned in satisfaction.
"If you want to be treated like a big shot, you gotta climb the ranks. Become a Holy Knight like me."
Francesco said this while crossing his legs and picking his ear.
Umshutain nodded in agreement.
"Or be born a dwarf."
They chuckled at each other, but it didn't inspire much confidence.
Still, Yuri liked these two. They were busy living their second lives now, but originally, they were just ordinary folk like him. That made them feel familiar.
Yuri grinned and said,
"Let's schemers among dropouts—no, big shots. Alright, I'll meet Sibylla and try to persuade her. If that fails, we stab and run."
"Hoo..."
"Nice..."
But Fenek shook his head.
"No, that won't do."
"Why?"
"What kind of plan is that? Persuade her, and if not, stab and run?"
"That's the conclusion, isn't it? We persuade. If it fails, we kill."
"Well, yeah."
Yuri clicked his tongue.
"Fine. You must have your own plan. Explain."
"We've given up on persuasion. We're scouting good assassination spots and preparing every detail meticulously..."
"See? Persuasion failed, so stabbing it is."
Francesco and Umshutain nodded.
"Exactly. That's the core."
Fenek let out a groan.
He'd reflexively argued because it sounded too simplistic, but the plan's backbone was the same. It had to be.
"Still, that's too much of a leap. It's different from having a concrete plan."
"Then let's discuss the details. Why so pessimistic?"
"Sigh..."
Fenek sighed.
Yuri Brioll had been endlessly reliable in the Allied Forces, but bantering like this made him hard to trust.
He just wanted to punch him.
"That looks like a 'I want to hit him' face. Sir Francesco, is this the discipline of the Holy Kingdom?"
"I wasn't like this in my prime."
"See? Without a role model, discipline falls apart."
"Mm, true."
Fenek didn't want to waste more time. He stood abruptly and clapped.
"Let's talk seriously."
"Fine."
"With the prince here, we've added persuading the queen as an option. Not sure if it'll work."
Yuri nodded.
"Worth a try."
But Yuri didn't think he could sway Sibylla's heart either. Deep down, he leaned toward it being impossible.
She wasn't foolish. Far from it—she was sharp. If she'd made her decision, it must have been resolute.
Yuri just wanted to see her with his own eyes.
"Sorry about this."
Umshutain said.
"Feels like it's all because of my brother."
Yuri looked at him.
Come to think of it, back at the tavern, he'd muttered something odd. About his brother trying to hand treasures to high-ups.
He hadn't paid much attention then, but knowing he was a dwarf now, it didn't sound like an ordinary story.
Yuri asked,
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said."
Umshutain scratched his head.
"My brother tried to sell our dwarf treasure to some high-up."
"Who was this high-up, and what was he selling?"
"The high-up was a guy named Larson."
Yuri stared blankly at him.
Not just any high-up—the highest in the Holy Kingdom.
"And?"
"Larson died."
"So, it's over, right?"
"That's why Sibylla wants revenge."
"Explain properly."
Fenek answered instead.
"Umshutain's brother, Gultenshutain, tried to sell dwarf treasure to Larson, demanding marriage to Sibylla in return."
Yuri glanced at Fenek, then back at Umshutain, who scratched his head.
"That's the story. Embarrassing, so it's hard to say."
"What about Larson?"
"He agreed."
"Pardon?"
"The treasure was that valuable. But Gultenshutain fell for Sibylla. So he tried to trade it for marriage. My brother wasn't the only crazy one—Larson was just as nuts. He actually accepted."
"And Sibylla lost it?"
"Yeah. Right after Larson died, she became queen and threw my brother in prison. Now she's threatening him for the dwarf treasure."
"What's this treasure?"
"Dwarf metal and metalworking techniques."
"Hmm..."
"Extremely precious."
"I see."
Dwarf metalworking surpassed humans by leaps. If that tech leaked, the war would get tougher.
"So that's the story."
"Yeah."
Yuri nodded.
It all clicked.
Gultenshutain offered dwarf metal and tech for Sibylla, Larson accepted out of greed, and furious Sibylla killed him.
Now, Sibylla was pressuring Gultenshutain for the dwarf tech.
"Alright, Sir Francesco."
"Yeah?"
"Now I'm curious about your story."
"Me? What story?"
Yuri remembered what he'd said at the tavern.
"You said you lost your abilities in an accident."
"Oh, right. Jeez..."
"What happened?"
"One day, I just couldn't use mana anymore."
"Pardon?"
"Couldn't fight after that. That's it. The temple's hiding it. Not seclusion—just washed up."
Francesco shrugged.
Yuri watched him, then nodded.
"Got it."
Then he turned to Fenek.
"So, what was your plan?"
"According to Umshutain, Gultenshutain lacks spirit. He'll spill about the treasure soon. We're waiting at its location and plan to assassinate the queen when she shows."
"Where's that?"
"That's..."
Umshutain spoke.
"Secret for now. I'll tell you later."
"Understood."
Yuri nodded.
"First, I'll meet Sibylla. Any chance soon?"
"Hard to say. She rarely goes out..."
"Give me her schedule. I'll handle the meeting."
Yuri recalled the stealth and infiltration techniques Asana had taught him. He lacked her shadow-diving ability, but he could move like any assassin.
His own skills were top-notch, so he trusted himself with most things.
Yuri scaled the palace wall.
A guard spotted him but looked away. He was from the secret society. Per Fenek, collaborators were growing.
Meaning Sibylla hadn't won hearts.
"Phew..."
Yuri checked the Holy Kingdom palace map from his pocket.
"Tower's here."
Sibylla had imprisoned Gultenshutain in the tower, interrogating him alone regularly. No escorts.
That's when he'd meet her.
He moved swiftly. The palace was beautifully adorned, but no time to admire.
The tall tower loomed ahead.
Yuri skirted the palace edges.
Fewer people inside than expected—easier than Brioll's bustling servant-filled halls. The Holy Kingdom's felt eerily empty.
He reached the tower.
Guards posted.
Yuri pulled out prepared oil and matches. He set a nearby warehouse ablaze.
Immediate reaction.
Black smoke rose; tower guards panicked and rushed over.
Shouting, fetching water, dousing flames. Yuri seized the moment, climbed the outer wall, pried open a window, and slipped in.
Inside was deathly quiet.
"Empty?"
Yuri muttered.
Truly vacant. Climbing stairs, no signs of life.
He reached the top.
Someone imprisoned there.
Yuri called,
"Gultenshutain?"
The figure snapped his head up.
Similar to Umshutain but different—short, big-nosed dwarf.
Sitting, he stared blankly at Yuri.
"Your brother's sent me. Stay quiet. When Sibylla comes, I'll handle it. No need to fear."
He just nodded. Taciturn, unlike Umshutain.
Yuri checked outside.
Firefighting noise continued. He hid in a corner, erasing his presence.
Soon, faint footsteps ascending.
Yuri swallowed. Seeing Sibylla after so long tensed him. Now, he might have to kill her if things went wrong.
Maybe corrupted by black magic, changed.
Various possibilities raced through his mind.
Steady footsteps neared his floor.
Yuri peeked out.
Sibylla stood there.
No different from memory. Royal attire made her more regal, but otherwise unchanged.
"Gultenshutain. Thought about my offer?"
Her voice rang out.
"Accept, and I'll forgive everything, reward you. Send you back to the dwarves."
Arms crossed, she looked down through the bars.
"Hm?"
Yuri relaxed. Not a total stranger—same voice he knew.
As he rose—
"Auaaaah..."
A wretched sound.
Yuri turned. Gultenshutain "spoke." Not language.
Yuri realized.
Gultenshutain had no tongue.
"What? Can't hear."
Sibylla leaned in. He tried again.
"Aua..."
She sighed, unlocked the cell, entered, approached.
Gultenshutain backed away in terror.
"Stop."
He froze. Glanced Yuri's way. Yuri signaled silence with a finger to lips.
"My offer. Thought about it?"
Arms crossed over the seated dwarf.
"Why no answer?"
She tilted her head.
"Think that rat will save you?"
Yuri's eyes widened.
Sibylla still stared down at Gultenshutain.
Then, something grabbed Yuri's nape.