Chapter 232
Chapter 232
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 232
Chapter Title: While the Enemy Sleeps (2)
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Yuri froze upon discovering Marie Rose lying next to him.
Her red hair was messily splayed across the white bedsheets.
The long, rust-colored eyelashes quietly closed over her eyes drew his gaze.
"...".
But Yuri didn't make the mistake of crying out in his bewilderment.
No matter what the situation was, he needed to slip away from this spot first.
True to his mastery of the sword, he moved with complete silence and stealth.
It was the moment he planted both feet on the floor and began to rise.
The door opened.
"...!"
His heart felt like it plummeted, but as a swordsman who had conquered his own instincts, Yuri suppressed every reaction save for widening his eyes.
The one who appeared was a maid from Bezos Castle.
She stood in place and offered a silent bow to the speechless Yuri, then set a water pitcher and a glass filled with red liquid on the bedside table next to Marie Rose. She covered it with a cloth and left the room.
Yuri hurriedly followed after her.
"Um..."
Out in the corridor, Yuri hesitantly called out to the maid walking calmly ahead.
"What is it?"
She seemed utterly serene.
But those who served high nobles were all experts at masking their expressions. For all he knew, she might see Yuri as a shameless royal inwardly.
"Wh-why was I sleeping there?"
Yuri asked.
He genuinely wanted to know. The last thing he remembered was drinking together in the banquet hall. Everyone around them had flushed faces, slurring their words as the alcohol took hold.
The maid gazed steadily up at Yuri.
Her clear eyes felt almost reproachful, and Yuri averted his own.
"Your Highness."
"Yes."
"Last night..."
"L-last night."
"Your Highness..."
"I..."
"Said you would sleep in that room. So that's where you woke up."
Yuri's mouth fell open.
There was no room for excuses.
Yuri squeezed his eyes shut tight. For some reason, Ekaterina's face floated into his mind—brows furrowed, expression brimming with contempt.
As Yuri sank into self-loathing, the maid's voice reached his ears.
"So you should ask the Archmage why she's there, Your Highness."
"Huh?"
"Your Highness went to sleep first. That room is yours to begin with."
"My room?"
The maid pointed behind Yuri. When he turned his head, he saw a sheet of paper stuck to the door.
「Yuri Room」
It was scribbled in messy handwriting.
Suddenly, hazy memories of the night before resurfaced.
Drunk as they were, they'd assigned rooms in Bezos Castle via rock-paper-scissors and written their names on papers to stick to the doors so no one would mix them up.
Yuri room.
Right—that was his room.
He glanced around, and sure enough, every door had a paper: Jared room, Francesco room, Aynzer room, this one's room and that one's...
A little further off was Marie Rose's room.
True to form, no words—just a rose drawing with a heart beside it.
"What'd you bring earlier?"
"The Archmage asked me to set hangover remedies by her bedside before she got drunk, for this morning."
"That red stuff a hangover cure?"
"It's wine."
"Huh?"
"She said to cure the hangover with wine..."
It sounded utterly nonsensical, but then again, Marie Rose showing up in his room made no sense either.
Yuri shook off his guilt and nodded.
"Got it. So it wasn't my fault."
"Exactly."
"And for the record, nothing happened."
"I know."
"How?"
"You can just tell."
"I see."
Yuri had drunk so much that he'd passed out in last night's clothes.
"Passing out without even brushing my teeth—embarrassing."
"Shall I prepare a bath?"
"Please."
Glancing outside, he saw the sun just rising. Yuri had woken early.
He bathed right away, dressed neatly, then returned and made a racket.
"Hey, Jared! Simon! Guinness!"
The ones Yuri was waking were the Retribution Knights who'd be moving with him. But with his naturally booming voice, he ended up rousing everyone else too.
In the end, Bezos Castle's morning began at Yuri's hands.
"Urghhh..."
"Ugh..."
All who'd drunk the night before staggered out looking wretched.
Yuri, having circulated the Heart-Soul Severing to steady his body and mind, looked pristine and even had the leisure to eat breakfast alone.
As Yuri sipped his tea, the haggard Jared, Simon, and Guinness appeared.
"Your Highness..."
"Can't knights handle that much?"
"Ugh, at least circulate..."
The Mana Circulation Method couldn't fully purge drunkenness, but it could at least settle the roiling guts. Even so, they looked pained just sitting there.
"Ow, my head..."
"You should've drunk in moderation."
Yuri called the entire Retribution Knights together to snap them out of it.
"Everyone, up!"
While they got ready, he personally prepared to depart from Bezos.
The soldiers were deeply honored, but Yuri ignored it and inspected weapons and horses.
"I handle my own business."
"Impressive, sir."
"A man tends his own horse."
"As expected...!"
"One who can't manage their weapon and mount—how could they manage the world?!"
"Truly Your Highness!"
Carried away in the moment, Yuri suddenly realized his words bordered on treason, but the soldiers were too busy cheering to notice.
Yuri cleared his throat.
"We'll forage food en route, so jerky and hardtack will do."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
The supply soldier nodded.
This was another of Yuri's quirks. Unlike nobles who couldn't stomach even one subpar meal, Yuri had no qualms eating the same preserved rations as the troops.
Of course, it came from his past life's experience. Back when he was a mercenary, even this had been a luxury—he'd often starved.
"Hey, you holding up? Good work."
The horses, well-fed, all looked in prime condition.
They could leave like this.
Yuri said as if it had just occurred to him.
"By the way, the ronin resting well?"
"Yes, sir. Treated them properly yesterday since they're from the East. The interpreter made it easy."
"Good job."
The Eastern ronin had been formed into a foreign legion and would remain in Brioll.
Promising them treatment equal to regular soldiers had thrilled them.
Considering their pure combat prowess far outstripped the troops', their satisfaction spoke volumes about how harsh life in the East must be.
"Where are the ronin?"
"They're..."
Yuri stopped by briefly to see the ronin.
At their lodging, a few were already out circulating their qi.
He spotted Cheongun's face too.
"Cheongun?"
"Your Highness."
Cheongun rose from his spot and approached Yuri. Yuri looked him up and down.
"How are you so fine? The alcohol?"
"Just a few cups. I abstain from liquor."
"Yeah? Can't hold it?"
"My sect shuns alcohol."
"I see."
"Fleshly pleasures are no good. Cultivating body and mind is paramount."
"Must've been a righteous sect."
"No."
Cheongun gave a wry smile.
"An abandoned sect. I regret it."
Yuri clapped his shoulder.
"Yeah, that happens."
Skilled as he was, yet a wandering ronin who even fled the East—there had to be a story.
Yuri said firmly.
"Cheongun. I don't know your past, but I won't abandon you all."
Cheongun gazed at Yuri.
"If you don't abandon me, I won't abandon you. Understood?"
He stared blankly for a moment, then grinned broadly and nodded.
"Loyalty upon loyalty."
"Good. Be loyal."
"Loyalty!"
"Here's a task till I return: master the language completely. Think you can?"
"More than enough."
Truth be told, Cheongun had only recently encountered the continental common tongue. He'd linked up with the Ireine Merchant Company, crossed to the continent, met Yuri, and helped retake Bezos.
Yet he already communicated smoothly.
A bit more time, and he'd sound like a native.
"I was a prodigy."
"Figures."
Yuri shook hands with Cheongun.
"Looking forward to seeing you again."
"Yes, sir!"
While talking with Cheongun, word came that the Retribution Knights were fully ready. Yuri headed straight to them.
Incredible discipline—no one would guess they'd gotten plastered the night before.
Every eye gleamed sharp.
"Uwaaack!"
"...".
Someone vomited from the very back. Yuri signaled to drag him out, then spoke once the situation was cleared.
He scanned their faces one by one.
"We're off to smash the central petty kingdom alliance."
All eyes in the Retribution Knights locked on him.
Up front stood Jared, Simon, and Guinness. In the distance, Marie Rose, Hernando, and Inariel watched on.
"If we leave 'em be, the Empire'll swallow them up. So we go make 'em snap to reality. Right?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Brioll knights are the continent's best. Am I wrong?"
"No, sir!"
"That's why we're going alone."
Yuri eyed the Retribution Knights.
A relatively young bunch, but their skills were anything but lacking.
Above all, with Yuri leading and elites like Jared, Simon, and Guinness at his side, they were top-class knights anywhere.
"We'll show those spectators what real knights are. The alliance'll puff up with pride. Doesn't matter. Pride without the skill to back it deserves shattering. Isn't that right?"
"Yes, sir!"
"We depart soon. Stand ready."
Yuri conveyed his intent to the Retribution Knights, then approached Hernando watching from behind.
Hernando wore a pleased smile.
"Your Highness. Safe travels."
"Yeah. Meanwhile, find the Mage Tower Master for me."
"Leave it to me."
Hernando winked.
"I'll track down where that old codger's hiding, for sure."
Inariel nodded as well.
Yuri finally turned to Marie Rose.
"...".
Yuri glanced around awkwardly for a moment before speaking.
"Thanks for your help."
"Sure."
Marie Rose smiled as if nothing had happened. The moment Yuri nodded and turned to go—
"Feels a bit slighted..."
Her voice whispered after him.
"You invited me first last night, Your Highness."
"Huh?"
When Yuri whipped around, Marie Rose was already walking back into the castle, showing only her back. Staring after her, Yuri blinked.
What did that mean?
With no memory of last night, he couldn't tell truth from jest.
As Yuri stood there dazed, Marie Rose glanced back once with a sweet smile before disappearing into the castle.
Yuri couldn't tear his eyes away until Hernando and Inariel's blatant stares made him cough awkwardly.
"Then, I'm off."
And so Yuri set out with the Retribution Knights on their journey through the central petty kingdom alliance.
The deepest recesses of the imperial palace.
In a sealed underground chamber no one could enter, groans wracked with agony echoed.
"Haa, kuh, uwaaak..."
The only illumination came from countless candles scattered haphazardly around.
Beneath dripping wax lay countless pristine white bones.
This basement was so defiled by human sacrifice, forbidden arts, and dark magic that no mortal could endure it.
"How is it?"
Suddenly, amid the pained groans, a clear voice rang out.
"Does it hurt a lot?"
"Please... stop..."
The voice belonged to Cedric.
Cedric smiled at the enigmatic entity bound in iron chains. He seemed utterly unfazed despite bathing in the room's thick evil qi with his bare body.
"Must hurt something fierce..."
The chained being defied description. It held a vaguely human shape, yet grotesquely warped.
Now and then, tentacle-like appendages flickered into view.
"Hang in there. I can't do a damn thing because of you. Meanwhile, my brother's buzzing around busily..."
"Huhk, huhk..."
Cedric thought of his brother.
Because of Yuri's constant unpredictability, he'd been forced into unplanned moves.
He felt no regret. If anything, it thrilled him.
What would he accomplish while Cedric caught his breath?
They'd meet soon enough.
Cedric spoke in an amused tone.
"Don't disappoint me. Ivar."