Chapter 49
Chapter 49
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: 24. Promise (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"You're joining as an outer disciple of the Azure Peak Sect, right?"
"Does that include everything?"
"Thanks."
"Uh..."
Yuri tried to protest.
"Actually, I already have a master. A ruthless man called the Sword Demon..."
"It's outer family, so it's fine. You can be his disciple and mine too."
"No..."
"Outer disciples cost good money to teach. You know how pricey my teachings are? Consider yourself lucky."
"Yes, sir..."
In the end, Yuri became an outer disciple of the Azure Peak Sect, taking Moyong Chan as his second master.
The next day, Yuri brought Moyong Chan to see Ragna.
Ragna looked Moyong Chan up and down. With his beard trimmed and clean clothes on, he looked like a different person from yesterday.
"You clean up nice."
"I took good care of him."
"Wearing Brioll attire means things went well?"
"He's joining forces with us."
"Good."
Ragna nodded.
"I'll leave the outsider to you."
"Thank you for your trust."
Then his adjutant whispered something to Ragna.
Yuri's sharp hearing caught the faint words.
"We might end up with two Ten Supremes in Brioll..."
He was worried about Moyong Chan fully joining Brioll.
Ragna patted his adjutant's shoulder.
"The allied forces come first. Or can you handle the outsider?"
"No, but..."
Thank goodness Ragna was favorable.
He entrusted Yuri with a lot. It was paying off for always volunteering to lead the vanguard.
Of course, there was confidence in the Empire's forces too.
More than half of the Ten Supremes were affiliated with or friendly to the Empire.
Yuri relayed what Moyong Chan had told him.
Ragna's face twisted in disgust at the human sacrifices.
"Unspeakably revolting..."
Hernando, who had heard it last night, was also grim and holed up in his tent, investigating something.
Ragna muttered curses at the orcs and looked up.
"Outsider. This is certain fact?"
Moyong Chan nodded.
It might seem rude, but worldly etiquette didn't apply to a Ten Supreme.
Yuri watched Ragna's reaction closely.
He didn't seem overly shocked by the orcs' atrocities. There was an inexplicable anxiety.
Did he know something about the black magic Yuri didn't?
Yuri suppressed his curiosity and bowed.
"I'll return to camp and await orders."
"Go."
As they turned to leave after greeting Ragna, the adjutant stopped Yuri.
"Your Highness. One request."
"What is it?"
"Sir Graham wishes to see you..."
"Sir Graham?"
Even as a common soldier, Yuri treated him as a knight.
"Yes. Sir Graham."
"I'll go right now."
"I'll guide you."
Yuri sent Moyong Chan to the Brioll camp and followed the adjutant.
Graham was in charge of dealing with half-orcs and human prisoners.
Passing lines of Empire guards, screams echoed.
Some prisoners had lost their minds. They trembled in fear, unable to distinguish human from orc.
Priests stayed by their side, but shattered minds didn't recover.
"Sir Graham."
Graham bowed as Yuri greeted him.
"Your Highness. Sorry to bother you."
"No matter. What's wrong?"
"I wanted to ask about disposing of the half-orcs."
Orcs die, humans return. But half-orcs were ambiguous.
"What would Your Highness do?"
"That's why you called me."
Yuri had taken in Cory, a half-orc.
"Yes. I was curious about your thoughts..."
"Hmm..."
Graham upheld chivalry, but he wasn't a saint. He shed blood when needed.
Killing half-orcs was likely an option for him.
Yuri looked at the survivors.
None were unscathed. He scanned them one by one.
Suddenly, he felt eyes on him.
A woman huddled on the ground.
As Yuri approached, her eyes lifted.
"Can you speak?"
"Yes."
Emaciated, but her gaze was alive. She seemed to have kept her sanity.
"I overheard. It's about the half-orcs."
"Yes. Any..."
"Kill them."
The word came before Yuri could reply.
"Kill them all."
Her voice was quiet, laced with fury.
"Everyone thinks so."
"The half-orcs..."
"They did it."
She clutched her clothes tightly.
"They're the same. They did everything the orcs did. No, worse. We were their only outlet."
Yuri fell silent. Another woman beside her spoke.
"They killed my sister. For fun."
She buried her face in her knees. She didn't lift her head, and said no more.
All were silent, but Yuri felt the rising hatred.
The first woman spoke again.
"You're Brioll's prince, right?"
"Yes."
"Avenge us."
Her voice cracked briefly. Then it sharpened.
Her fierce eyes glared straight at Yuri.
"Avenge us. Stop chatting idly with imperials. If you have a conscience, kill every orc and half-orc, you bastard. If you have one..."
A soldier moved toward her, but Yuri stopped him.
"Where are you from?"
"Rhine."
Yuri closed his eyes.
A small territory near Sidoor.
It made sense.
These survivors were from nations bordering the plains. Many from Brioll.
"Your name?"
"Jane."
"Jane. Many from Brioll?"
"Many, but most died. Some suicided. Buried them daily. Piecing together shattered bodies..."
His ears rang.
He had a duty. And he'd sworn to uphold it.
Yuri knelt on one knee, lowering to Jane's level.
He planted Guilty on the ground.
Under her surprised gaze, Yuri bowed his head.
"On behalf of Brioll, I apologize."
He just wanted to fix past life's mistakes.
But that wasn't all.
There were things he should have done but didn't.
A forgotten responsibility, ignored by all, lay abandoned on the barren plains.
"And I promise."
She probably wouldn't live long. Her broken body was hard to heal.
She might die en route home.
So he could give one thing.
"I'll pay them back in kind."
Fitting retribution.
Revenge.
To let her feel his resolve, Yuri held her gaze to the end.
"I, Yuri Brioll, swear on all my honor."
Jane's eyes wavered.
She nodded faintly.
"Keep the promise."
Then she slumped.
Jane said no more.
As if she'd exhausted her life force. Her breathing grew shallow, like the vitality was a lie.
She'd mustered her last strength for those words.
Not just for herself.
Yuri stood.
Graham and the adjutant, watching, exchanged regretful glances.
"Sir Graham."
"Yes."
"As a member of the allied forces, Brioll's prince and commander, and proxy for Brioll's innocent victims, I strongly advocate executing them all."
"Understood."
Graham nodded.
"Your Highness. One more request. Send Cory."
Graham wanted to screen half-orcs to the end.
"Will do."
"Thank you. And I'll fully consider your will."
"Appreciated."
Yuri nodded and turned.
Back at the Brioll camp, he tasked Raymond.
"Send messengers to every nation bordering the plains."
"Yes."
Yuri informed them of these survivors.
Help them or use them to stoke anti-orc sentiment— their choice. It would pressure Graham.
Raymond frowned at Yuri's explanation.
"Such horrors. I'll send word to His Majesty."
"Tell Cedric too."
"Yes."
Cedric would wisely aid returning survivors.
Yuri calmed thinking of his respected eldest brother.
"He's doing well."
Now the allied forces headed to the plains' heart, where Oqua waited.
A massive battle loomed.
Yuri felt dizzy imagining it.
Endless melee on vast plains, corpses piling like mountains. No retreat.
"Hoo..."
Yuri sighed deeply and looked away. Faint weapon clashes echoed from afar.
"What's that?"
Heading there, he saw knights in a long line.
Beyond, Moyong Chan sparred.
"Well, now..."
The knights orderly took turns against Moyong Chan.
After one or two exchanges, the knight inevitably fell, and Moyong Chan, un-fatigued, took the next.
"An honor to cross swords with a Ten Supreme!"
"Thanks."
"Thank you!"
They rejoiced as if wounds from Moyong Chan were medals.
Not just Brioll knights— from other nations too, endless line.
"You."
"Yes?"
"You, out."
"Why..."
"Don't let hurt old folks fight."
"Urk..."
Hose, saved by Moyong Chan, stood in line with bandaged splinted shoulder, but was chased out.
Yuri approached him.
"Sir Hose."
"Ah, Your Highness."
Hose brightened.
"Shoulder okay?"
"Of course. And you?"
"As you see. Fine."
"Good."
Hose touched his shoulder.
Kurui's axe had cleaved his right pauldron. Mana Circulation protected, but fighting properly would take time.
"Oh, Sir Hernando came."
"He did?"
"Impressive skill."
Thought he was holed up, but he'd treated Hose.
"A bit more rest, and I can fight."
"Fight?"
"Naturally."
"Hmm..."
He needed rest, but Hose's caliber was needed at the front.
Yuri habitually reached for Hose's shoulder, then patted his back instead.
"Be as careful as possible."
"Thank you."
"Jonathan?"
"Captain's in his tent, staring at maps all day."
"Right? I'll visit."
As they talked, a Burssen knight stepped before Moyong Chan.
He shouted.
"I'll show this guest from the East how fierce Burssen's waves are!"
"Waves?"
"The west end has sea. Trained my sword riding those waves!"
Suddenly archaic speech.
"Why's he like that?"
"Gets performative with crowds."
He wanted to show off to knights from all nations.
"Sea, huh..."
Moyong Chan reacted.
He closed eyes, pondering.
"Sea..."
"East has sea too?"
"Full of water."
"Delightful."
"I like sea too."
Moyong Chan raised his sword.
"South Sea night sea, how mortal bamboo prison how..."
"Ooh..."
The knight chatted seas with Moyong Chan, then took stance.
Of course, didn't last.
After two clashes, he staggered, dropped sword, collapsed. Like concussion, balance gone.
"Urk, Burssen's waves defeated..."
"Your swordplay ain't sea, just creek water."
"N-No..."
"But..."
Moyong Chan approached, looking down.
"Creeks become seas in time."
Then turned away.
The knight shuddered, inspired, bowed silently, and left.
Hose said.
"Embarrassed, leaving quick."
"I see."
Next knight stepped up.
Watching spars, Yuri muttered.
"Good."
Moyong Chan tutoring knights meant commitment to fight Oqua with allies.
Suddenly, Moyong Chan paused.
"..."
His eyes fixed somewhere. Expression oddly stiff.
Yuri thought he was staring at him, met gaze, then saw eyes shift and turned.
"What's this event?"
Hernando.
The one holed up now strolled over casually.
"That's the outsider?"
"Yeah."
"Why's he staring like..."
Hernando hid behind Yuri, peeking.
"That?"
Moyong Chan kept staring.
Hernando dodged eyes, smiled awkwardly.
"Embarrassing..."
Moyong Chan spoke.
"This one's Moyong Chan. Might I know the great hero's name?"