Chapter 251
Chapter 251
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: Great Escape (2)
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Ekaterina's mansion was located in the noble quarter within the imperial palace grounds, where street lamps brightly illuminated the streets.
Ekaterina straightened her clothes and spoke.
"Hurry. Where's the merchant group staying? Let's grab everyone and get out of here."
"Let's take a carriage from over there first."
Carriages were the public transport that ran through the capital. At the end of the street, coachmen targeting wealthy clients waited for passengers.
Ireine and Ekaterina boarded a carriage heading toward the inn where Ireine's group was staying.
In preparation for any potential trouble, the two exchanged no unnecessary words.
Instead, the coachman started chattering away.
"The mood in the Empire's been pretty grim lately, hasn't it? All because those Brioll bastards started spouting nonsense. Right?"
"Ah, yes. It has."
"And that arrogant punk Yuri Brioll or whatever—he needs to be put in his place soon."
"Yeees..."
"Not much of a response there. You two aren't fans of that guy too, are you? Seems like he's got more followers than you'd think."
"Eh, whatever."
Ireine gave a vague reply in Ekaterina's place.
The coachman spent a while badmouthing Yuri before turning around to ask,
"Anyway, what brings you two out at this hour?"
"You're being awfully nosy."
The coachman burst into laughter at Ireine's stiff response.
"Gotta know in advance, don't I?"
"What are you talking about?"
"What brings you here, Ms. Ireine?"
The atmosphere inside the carriage grew heavy.
The coachman continued in an amused tone.
"At this time of night, heading out with Her Highness the Imperial Princess—you should at least tell me where."
Ireine instinctively gripped the blade at her waist.
As Ireine eyed the coachman's back, pondering how to stab him, he spoke up.
"Wondering whether to stab me in the back?"
"So you know."
"Don't."
In the meantime, the carriage veered off Ireine's intended route, turning onto unfamiliar streets.
The surroundings gradually darkened as it headed toward rough terrain shunned by ordinary capital residents.
Ekaterina tightly grasped Ireine's hand.
"The one I serve wishes to meet you both. Heh heh heh..."
Ireine mentally counted down.
She hadn't expected to be kidnapped in the capital, but she had picked up some killing techniques herself. Her trip to the East hadn't been without precautions.
With her resolve set, just as she prepared to strike the coachman at the right moment...
The carriage came to an abrupt stop.
Ireine and Ekaterina's bodies jolted forward.
"Huh..."
Someone was blocking the road ahead.
"We're here."
Ireine froze.
She should have acted sooner—instead, she'd dragged her feet and ended up at the enemy's lair. This was an area beyond the reach of imperial authority, with virtually no chance of running into guards.
Then, a voice called out.
"Didn't expect to see you in the capital."
It sounded familiar.
"Long time no see, and you won't even show your face, Ms. Ireine?"
The low, chilling voice carried a unique cadence all its own.
Ireine replied.
"Gorio?"
The coachman up front removed his hat and bowed to Ireine.
"By order of Lord Gorio. If you'll excuse me."
The coachman stepped down.
Someone else took his place on the driver's seat. A glimpse confirmed it was Gorio.
Ekaterina asked Ireine,
"Someone you know?"
"Yes. One of His Highness's... men from Brioll."
She'd almost said "thug," but changed it since he was right there.
"One of His Highness's subordinates."
Ireine had a rough idea of Gorio's relationship with Yuri.
Back when she was first expanding into other countries, Gorio had protected the Ireine Merchant Group from rival companies' interference on Yuri's orders.
Local gangs had tried to harass them, but Gorio's ruthless efficiency allowed him to seize control of the underworld instead.
Once the Ireine Merchant Group was fully established, they no longer needed his help, and contact had ended. She hadn't known he was in the Empire.
Gorio started driving the carriage.
"This is the capital's back alleys. I run them. Even a place like the capital needs streets like these."
Ireine nodded as she gazed at the streetscape.
To wield such influence even in the Empire—he was clearly no ordinary man.
That was why Yuri had taken him in, back when he was just a lowly thug. Just as he'd reached out to her when she was merely the head of a small merchant group.
If Ekaterina was telling the truth, Yuri must have recognized their potential based on memories from his past life.
"So, Ms. Ireine, why are you moving around with the Imperial Princess?"
Since he was following Yuri's orders anyway, Ireine dropped her guard.
She explained the impending imperial persecution.
All Briollians might be rounded up.
"Gorio, you should leave too. They'll make it especially rough on you."
"Hmm..."
"Time's short."
"I see."
Gorio remained relaxed even as he drove.
"I'm taking Her Highness back to Brioll. Tonight."
"I've inconvenienced a busy man. As apology, I'll escort you straight out of the capital."
"And what about you?"
"I'll stay here."
Ireine tilted her head.
"Why?"
"Why, you ask."
Gorio shrugged and drove on silently. Alley dwellers spotted him driving and bowed their heads.
Everyone who recognized him in these back alleys showed respect.
"My work here isn't done. Just like yours."
Gorio's voice was soft.
"I don't know what ties our prince has to the Empire's princess, but there must be circumstances. I've sent men to the Ireine Merchant Group separately—they should arrive here soon."
"How...?"
"I'm quick on the uptake, Ms. Ireine."
"Yeah, I know."
"Worried about leaving the other Briollians behind?"
Ireine looked at Gorio. He continued,
"Don't overthink it. Just go."
Gorio soon stopped the carriage at a certain spot. A foul stench wafted in.
"You can't save everyone. Someone has to stay."
"You..."
As Ireine started to say something, sounds approached from afar. The Ireine Merchant Group members were hurrying over, holding their breath.
Gorio said,
"The Brioll Association and I will help your countrymen as much as we can. No need to worry."
"Suddenly turning over a new leaf?"
Ireine recalled Gorio's past self.
Before joining Yuri, he had been a ruthless loan shark and gang boss without a drop of mercy or tear.
Many merchants had borrowed from him and been ruined.
Gorio chuckled dryly.
"I'm just fulfilling my role."
With that, he stepped down from the carriage.
Ekaterina eyed the empty driver's seat and asked,
"Ireine. Why provoke him?"
"That's not who Gorio is."
"What does it matter? He helped us escape—that's enough."
"Yes..."
"Let's get out."
The two disembarked. The stench hit harder. Ekaterina pinched her nose and frowned.
"What is this place?"
Gorio appeared holding a torch, as if in answer.
"This is where the capital dumps its trash. To keep a beautiful city like this, someone has to handle the garbage and stench somewhere."
True to his words, beyond the torchlight loomed a massive pile of refuse like a mountain.
Beside it, against the city wall, stood a firmly shut large gate.
It led outside.
"I'll open that gate for you. One of the workers here owes me a favor."
Ireine stared at him intently, then gave a slight bow.
"Thank you, Gorio."
"No need."
He shrugged.
"Like I said, just doing my part. Don't make too big a deal of it."
Soon, the merchant group members joined them. One employee asked Ireine,
"What's going on? You told us to come, and..."
His eyes were bruised black.
Ireine couldn't help but laugh.
"What happened to your eyes?"
"Don't laugh."
"Why?"
"Those big guys told us to pack up and follow, and when I protested, they started punching..."
Gorio apologized on their behalf.
"My men handled things roughly, it seems. The situation was urgent—please forgive us."
As they followed Gorio, Ireine gave a rough explanation.
"We need to leave the capital ASAP."
"Yes. But who's this? An employee? Never seen her before..."
The employee pointed at Ekaterina. Ireine chose her words carefully.
"Well, she's..."
Ekaterina answered instead.
"I'm Ireine's friend. I'll be traveling with you, so take good care of me."
"Uh, sure..."
True to her divine beauty, Ekaterina's voice was lovely as well.
The employee panicked as a refined voice emerged from under her hood.
Ireine sighed.
"We'll need to get you a voice changer too. For now, she's joining us. She's important, so no rudeness."
"Got it."
"We'll keep her identity hidden until Brioll. Bear with it."
"Yes."
They stood before the massive gate in the wall.
At Gorio's signal, his men moved, and the garbage dump gate began to creak open.
Outside the wall were facilities for waste disposal. They probably buried it all beyond the capital.
Gorio gestured.
"Follow me."
The group trailed after him.
Contaminated soil stuck黏ily to their shoe soles.
"All sorts of things end up in dumps. No traces left behind."
Gorio explained.
"No one will know how you escaped. My help ends here. Getting to Brioll is up to you now."
"Thank you, Gorio."
Ireine expressed her gratitude. Gorio chuckled and turned away.
"Good luck, Ms. Ireine."
Just as suddenly as he'd appeared, Gorio vanished back into the capital with a curt farewell. Before they could even call after him, the garbage dump gate quietly shut.
All around them were trash heaps and the sealed wall.
This was it.
What a dry man.
"Who was that guy?"
"Name's Gorio."
The Ireine Merchant Group employees still looked baffled.
"Explanations later. Let's move."
In any case, they were now outside the capital.
Thanks to Gorio, they'd escaped beyond the walls without incident.
But the real trials were just beginning.
A long journey lay ahead to escape imperial territory and return to Brioll.
"We're heading to Brioll."
Ireine steeled her resolve while glancing at Ekaterina, who stuck close by her side. She whispered to her,
"Your Highness. I'll get you to His Highness. So stick with me."
"I trust you."
Chaos erupted in the Empire once more. Under the pretext of rooting out disloyal elements, they established reeducation camps and began rounding up all foreign residents.
Some hid and evaded capture, but most were helplessly taken.
Every nation except the Empire protested the incident.
But the Empire remained unmoved.
It was almost like a show of defiance.
Having already squandered public support with black magic, they now resorted to such heavy-handed measures. No more tiptoeing around.
Brioll, the Holy Kingdom, Liberda, and Burzen dispatched envoys of protest to the Empire.
Of course, their demands would be ignored.
What followed was obvious.
Declarations of war, then full-scale conflict.
The entire continent watched the inevitable unfold in tense silence.
Clashes were already a foregone conclusion, and some fled in anticipation of war.
"Hesitating further would be foolish."
In Brioll, a meeting convened under King Joshua and his brother, Yuri Brioll.
Yuri stood and declared,
"I'll lead the army myself to the Empire's border. The other three kingdoms and minor nation alliance will join us. Any objections?"
Not a single bureaucrat or noble in attendance spoke up.
Yuri grinned.
"None? Good."
The war that would decide the continent's fate was about to begin.