Chapter 210
Chapter 210
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 210
Chapter Title: 84. Game of Thrones (1)
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Sibylla's death was announced a few days later.
Given how destructive her recent actions had been, the power brokers of the Holy Kingdom secretly welcomed the news.
They expected the new king to steer the Holy Kingdom back onto a normal course.
But before that, there was inevitable chaos to endure.
Who would become the new king?
The royal family members who had been keeping their heads down until now began to cautiously raise them. Even the nobles who had sheltered them started gauging the winds.
A shadowy bloodbath was about to erupt over the throne.
"Bring someone proper."
Yuri said as he sat at a tea table in the garden, basking in the sunlight.
He was currently staying at Francesco's residence.
"Just someone sensible, with the guts to stand up to the Empire. Let's make anyone king."
Across from Yuri sat Francesco, Fenek, and Umshutain.
Francesco shrugged.
"Yuri. You know common sense is rarer than you think?"
"True. Not many here have it either."
"Me?"
"Not many here."
"I..."
"And pull out of Alas, too."
Yuri shrugged. Francesco rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought.
"Will Burssen accept?"
"I'll talk to him. If we promise not to touch Alas anymore, he'll go for it."
"You close with Burssen too?"
"I made a name in the Allied Forces."
"Alas was originally Holy Kingdom territory..."
"Better than losing everything to the Empire. You saw Sibylla. The Empire does insane things. They're plotting something ridiculous. Not the time to fight over Alas."
"Hm..."
Francesco let out a grunt. Having witnessed the true nature of black magic through Sibylla, he couldn't deny Yuri's words.
Turning a king—not just any king, but one of a nation—into a monster.
It was an event that could plunge the entire continent into chaos.
"Still, you can't just crown a king on a whim..."
"If Holy Knight backs him, it's done."
Yuri looked straight at Francesco.
"If you step up, we can crown a new king. You're a symbol of the Holy Kingdom."
"I told you. I can't fight like I used to."
"Doesn't matter. Your name alone carries weight. At least try."
"I'm a has-been. No one acknowledges me, and politics is a hassle."
"Haha..."
Yuri let out a hollow laugh. Then he sharply narrowed his eyes, alternating glances between Francesco and Fenek.
An aura of intimidation emanated from him.
"Lord Francesco. And Fenek."
Yuri placed his fingertips on the table.
"You just watched while Sibylla was cornered. Only after she cracked did you move to kill her. Even that, I had to handle in the end. Now that she's dead, it's not your problem again? Wait for another idiot to take the throne and kill him late?"
Francesco scratched his head, making excuses.
"No, that was regrettable. But we didn't know she'd turn out like that..."
"Know? What don't you know? You saw Larson selling her to that dwarf bastard. You ignored it hoping she'd endure alone and everything would smooth over. Honestly, you probably expected oriharcon as payment for selling her out. Right?"
"What are you saying? That's not it. We never..."
"Then step up now."
Yuri fixed Francesco with a chilling gaze.
"Frankly, this secret society thing is a joke to me. You sit idle when Sibylla needs help, then when fire's at your feet, you move to kill one girl. Blaming her is laughable. I'd do the same. Grab the devil's hand if it meant flipping you bastards over."
The table fell silent.
Jared, Simon, and Guinness standing silently behind Yuri wore stern expressions, adding weight to his words.
Umshutain, who had been listening quietly, broke the silence.
"He's right. I told you, didn't I? Don't leave my brother, Gulthenshutin, alone. You ignored me then, and now you're scrambling to fix it late. Pretty pathetic. I'd rather grab that black magic grandpa's hand than get sold to some random heteroclite."
"Hoo..."
Francesco sighed and nodded.
"Yeah, you're right. Can't say we did nothing wrong. Me included."
"Not blaming now. Let's just give it our all from here. Everyone."
"Hoo, fine. They'll laugh at a has-been stepping up, but I'll endure it."
"If mockery solves it, endure all you want. And..."
Yuri stood.
"If you're a has-been, just come back as active duty."
"What?"
"You said you can't handle mana."
"Yeah. I can't anymore..."
"I'll make it so you can."
"What?"
Yuri's eyes deepened.
"I can see it."
When Francesco said he could no longer handle mana, Yuri had a strange premonition and examined his body through the Heart-Soul domain.
Black energy was clogging his core.
"Black magic energy is blocking your core, Lord Francesco."
"What? I've lost my mana long ago."
"That's why. Black magic reached out early. They've prepared for a long time."
Putting together what he knew, Cedric had learned black magic from the devil's grimoire hidden by Erich Brioll.
He didn't know exactly when it started, but Yuri wouldn't be surprised if it was ages ago.
Cedric had been brilliant since childhood.
"Anyway, there's a way. Not now, but I'll help."
"Really?"
"Why would I lie?"
Yuri looked at Francesco.
"I said give it your all. Me too. You regaining power makes my job easier. That's how bad things are."
Fenek brightened.
"If true, that'll be huge. If Lord Francesco regains power. Possible right away?"
"Not now. I know a mage studying black magic who's away. Should be possible when he returns. Soon."
Yuri could destroy the black magic energy but not extract it from human flesh.
But Hernando, who had researched black magic and parchment, could likely draw out the black energy from Francesco temporarily. Since it hadn't fully fused like with Sibylla, it was feasible.
"Then, anyone suitable to crown king?"
"Hm..."
Francesco and Fenek exchanged looks. Umshutain subtly joined in.
Yuri tilted his head.
"What's up?"
"There is one, but not sure if he'll go for it. He'd do well, though."
"Who?"
"Luther."
Yuri blanked for a moment, then his eyes widened.
"The youngest?"
The youngest of the three brothers who picked a fight with Yuri at the tavern was named Luther.
His carefree face came to mind, the one who said he lived without worries or incidents.
"He's royal blood?"
"Royal, and a papal candidate."
"Papal candidate?"
Yuri kept being surprised.
"Yeah, that joke he made at first about being pope..."
"Not pope, but one of the saints eyed for next pope."
Saints were papal candidates chosen by the temple. Required deep faith, impeccable character, and exceptional holy magic talent.
"Entered the temple, but bloodline's solid."
"Capable too."
"Worry if he wants it..."
Yuri spoke.
"I'll make him."
"You?"
"Yes. Where's Luther now?"
Yuri stood.
"Hearts are simple. Hold a knife to the throat—king or die? Everyone picks king."
Umshutain burst out laughing.
"You talk funny. Brioll trait?"
"Die, or be king."
Unlike Umshutain thought, Yuri actually held a knife to Luther's throat and threatened him.
"Uh, uhh..."
Luther panicked, eyes darting.
"Your Highness?"
"Heard you're royal blood."
"Y-Yeah, but..."
"Look in my eyes."
Luther looked into Yuri's eyes.
"Sane?"
"No."
Yuri pressed the knife closer.
"Agh! Why!"
"Don't like the answer."
"You asked, I answered..."
"Anyway, you're becoming king."
"I'm a temple devotee. A saint even."
"Knife to your throat telling you to be king—think I don't know that?"
"N-No, of course not..."
Luther swallowed.
He was quietly reading at home when a shadow loomed, a sack over his head, and he blacked out.
Woke tied to a chair, Brioll's prince Yuri Brioll holding a knife to his throat, demanding he be king.
To Luther, Yuri Brioll's eyes looked a bit off.
Didn't seem normal from the start.
"Temple might not accept..."
"I'll make them."
"How..."
"Threaten the no-sayers with knives."
"Like this?"
"Yeah."
Yuri said,
"I know it's against the proper way, but no choice now. Or we can't stop the Empire and those black magic bastards."
He was handling things roughly. But without it, nothing moved.
By the book, couldn't have stopped Sibylla, nor set up a king to fight the Empire his way.
To counter Cedric, an unpredictable force had to upend the Holy Kingdom.
Yuri decided to be that unpredictable force himself.
"No time. If you refuse, find someone else. Hurry."
"Pardon?"
"Say you'll be king. Counting to three. One. Two..."
Counting fast.
Luther realized Yuri Brioll was half-mad. No hesitation in his actions.
Not even to three, knife already pressing.
He answered immediately.
"I'll do it! I will!"
"Good."
"You damn..."
"That's the world."
"Bastard..."
"Curse all you want."
Yuri grinned, patting Luther's shoulder.
"Hey. Worry-free guy. About to live a headache-filled life."
"Fine for me, but the temple..."
"Ways exist."
With Holy Knight's backing, plus pressure via Yuri's connections like Vlad and Fenek.
"You close to temple becoming king? Good for them."
"A saint quitting midway for secular life? Unprecedented."
"Really unprecedented?"
"Yes. Only if excommunicated for grave sins..."
Realizing his mistake mid-sentence.
This man actually holds knives to throats. Shredding lives? Wouldn't care.
"Violence, murder, arson, theft. Blasphemy. Pick."
"You mad bastard..."