Chapter 74
Chapter 74
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: 35. Victory (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The Allied Forces returned to Balshard.
Marie Rose threw a grand banquet to celebrate the victory.
Those who harbored feelings for her got swept up in the mood and offered her flowers, which even led to challenges for duels.
"Youth is truly the best!"
Ragna clapped in delight, but Marie Rose's response was icy cold.
"Why doesn't anyone ask for my opinion? I'm not interested in any of you, so if you want to fight, go out to the back garden."
Yuri ignored all the commotion and stepped out onto the balcony to gaze at Balshard's nightscape.
It was an isolated city on the plains, but traces of ancient civilization remained, with magic-powered lanterns dotting the streets here and there.
Beneath them, the gathered residents played instruments or chatted amiably.
A good place to live.
"What are you doing?"
Marie Rose approached. The scent of alcohol and perfume wafted over.
"Just looking."
"Ah..."
Marie Rose swirled her wine glass and smiled.
"Nice view, isn't it? Makes you want to live here, right?"
"I heard the fleeing peasants are flocking to Balshard."
"That's true. Taxes are too high to bear elsewhere, they say. Oh, hardly any from Brioll, though. Must not have any nasty nobles there."
"Guess there are some."
"Hehe..."
Marie Rose winked.
"Who knows?"
Yuri had no intention of prying, so he chuckled lightly and turned his eyes back to the view.
Balshard's magic barrier was formidable. If she truly locked the gates, even the Empire's assaults could be repelled.
"Can I ask a favor?"
"Let's hear it first."
"Someday..."
Yuri cleared his throat.
"If Brioll falls into danger, take in its people."
Marie Rose's eyes widened at his words.
She leaned in close, scrutinizing Yuri's face as if to gauge his sincerity, then followed his gaze outward.
"Hmm..."
Marie Rose stroked her chin, tilting her head, before replying.
"Sure."
No questions asked.
Yuri glanced at her profile. Light leaking from the banquet hall behind softly illuminated her face.
Her pale nose tip and red lips stood out against the night sky.
"Got it."
Yuri replied promptly.
That was it.
Silence fell, until Marie Rose suddenly grabbed his sleeve.
"No, if I give a cool answer like that, you should say something like, 'Why didn't you ask my opinion?' or 'What makes you trust me enough to agree so easily?'"
"You already said yes. What more is there to ask?"
"Wow, this guy..."
She'd tried to throw him off by agreeing so readily, but Yuri went one step further and shattered expectations again.
Marie Rose laughed in exasperation, swirling her wine glass a few times.
"You're younger than me, but why do you feel like such an old soul?"
Because he actually was older. But no need to explain that.
Yuri chuckled lowly.
"Maybe you're just mentally younger."
"You serious?"
"A bit?"
"Ha..."
Marie Rose leaned against the railing and looked up at him.
"Keep oozing charm like that, and I might just seduce you for real."
"Me, oozing charm?"
"A kid already acting all coy."
"That's informal speech."
"So what?"
She drained her wine glass completely and turned.
"Don't brood alone. Come back inside."
Her grip was surprisingly strong.
Yuri let himself be pulled back into the banquet hall.
As the door opened, chandelier lights sparkled down. Yuri squinted slightly at the brightness.
Gradually, the scene inside came into focus. Below, knights who had ended the war were sharing stories and toasting...
"You wanna die?"
"You first."
Two knights who had clashed over offering flowers to Marie Rose were still facing off.
Marie Rose pressed her forehead.
"Still at it..."
Normally, someone would intervene, but with only sword-wielders present, no one stopped them—they just watched with interest.
Yuri tried to ignore the foolish antics.
But the silhouette of one standing knight looked familiar.
"Simon..."
Yuri couldn't help but smirk.
The once green boy seemed to have gained confidence from the war.
Marie Rose said,
"What do we do?"
"Let 'em be. They'll fight or not on their own."
"Harsh on your subordinate."
"He's a knight. He should handle himself."
It was the moment Yuri dismissed them and plopped down at his seat.
"Come out."
The knight facing Simon scowled.
"What gives you the balls to act up? Brioll? Banking on your background?"
"Do I need a background to put you in your place?"
"Brioll this, Brioll that—I'll make you a disgrace. I'm Amunson of Joachim."
"Simon of Brioll."
Yuri, who had been ignoring them while pouring a drink, snapped his gaze over.
He'd dismissed it as youthful bravado between young knights, but the opponent happened to be from Joachim.
Political calculations began turning in his mind.
"Your Highness?"
Marie Rose called, but Yuri ignored her and stepped forward.
"Sir Amunson."
Yuri's sudden intervention drew all eyes.
Simon and Amunson looked flustered side by side, while onlookers from other nations grinned excitedly, raising their glasses wildly.
As Yuri advanced, he glanced at Joachim's side.
His eyes met Gonte Merchin, a knight from Joachim he'd bonded with during the war.
They'd had a conversation.
'Our forces have weakened. Joachim isn't what it used to be.'
'Is that so.'
'Yes. The young ones are all soft...'
At first, he'd seemed like a stuffy old knight, but Gonte genuinely worried for Joachim's future.
They'd made a promise.
'Sir Gonte. After this war, invite Joachim's knights to Brioll. I'd like to offer a training camp course.'
'Really? It would greatly aid relations between our nations.'
It wasn't empty words.
Yuri sincerely planned to host Joachim's knights and provide training.
The mountain nation of Joachim shared the Alroy Mountains with the Empire.
In his previous life, they were the Empire's first prey when expansion began.
If they'd leveraged their terrain for guerrilla warfare to the end, they could have remained a thorn in the Empire's side, like a dagger at its throat.
Same enemy, potential ally.
"Sir Gonte!"
"Yes."
Sensing something in Yuri's eyes, Gonte shot to his feet.
"This Joachim fellow just insulted Brioll."
Amunson paled at Yuri's claim.
"What? Me?"
Yuri ignored him and continued to Gonte.
"He clearly said he'd thrash us regardless of Brioll."
It was similar, but targeted at Simon. Yuri exaggerated it into a diplomatic incident between nations.
"How can we tolerate such an insult! Right?"
Yuri shouted, and unrelated nations chimed in.
"He's right!"
"Brioll can't stand for that!"
"Joachim's dissing Brioll!"
"I'd never take it!"
They escalated it since it wasn't their problem.
Amunson's fierce expression turned pitiful. Even Simon facing him shot a sympathetic glance.
Yuri declared,
"Things being what they are, let's settle which nation's knights are superior."
"Pardon?"
"Simon and Amunson duel. The loser's nation sends knights and squires en masse to learn from the victors."
Yuri smoothly steered the situation.
"I'm for it. A knight needs that much pride."
Gonte agreed.
He seemed influential in Joachim—no objections.
Only Amunson's face flushed red.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Explain later."
Marie Rose whispered, but Yuri had no time for chit-chat. He had to seize the moment.
The Allied victory was just the start of Yuri's long journey.
"Let's head down for Simon and Amunson's bout. Stakes are national pride—the losers learn a lesson."
He addressed other nations more than Joachim. The mood was set anyway.
In the end, after the uproar, Simon vs. Amunson was decided.
All the knights in the hall followed to watch.
Marie Rose sighed.
"Really..."
As she'd said, a duel was indeed happening in the back garden.
The back garden wasn't large.
Simon and Amunson faced each other in the center; the rest crowded between garden trees and flowers to spectate.
The most bewildered were the two involved.
They'd considered it might come to a fight, but not as public entertainment.
"What scheme are you plotting now..."
Raymond chuckled. Yuri shrugged.
"It'll all work out."
"What if we lose?"
"We send our guys over."
Yuri wasn't worried.
Whether they came or his went, it created the link—and gave Joachim incentive to train elites.
Still, he hoped for victory.
"Hey, Simon."
Yuri called. Simon approached hesitantly.
"Um, Your Highness..."
"Lose, and you die."
"Pardon?"
"Drunk much?"
"A little..."
"Opponent too."
The clash started over nothing major.
Marie Rose was beautiful; both were drunk. Two trivial things snowballed.
"I'll teach you a secret technique."
"Secret technique...?"
"Just once, unbeatable if unknown."
Yuri whispered into Simon's ear.
Simon's face twisted oddly.
"For real...?"
"Yeah. Trust me and use it."
"Brioll's honor worries me, though..."
"Better than losing."
Yuri had learned from his past life: honor sometimes outweighed life.
But not this kind of honor.
"Distinguish pride from true honor."
"Yes."
Simon finally squared his shoulders and stepped out.
Amunson twitched his facial muscles, psyching himself up pre-fight.
Both drunk, they were given wooden swords to prevent bloodshed.
The referee stepped forward.
"Both of you, here..."
It was Graham.
Someone insisted on a referee, and Graham—model knight—got nominated.
Unclear if personality mattered for a drunken brawl, but Ragna pushed his back, landing the role on him.
"No overexcitement. Just test each other's skill."
"Yes."
"Yes."
"Ends when one yields or can't fight."
Knight duels had standard rules—no long explanations needed.
Graham checked their eyes for sobriety, then retreated.
"Begin!"
Amunson charged instantly.
Not masterful technique, but great momentum. Fighter's spirit.
"That's talent too."
Simon kept retreating.
Amunson bellowed, raining down wooden sword strikes.
Yuri watched Simon's eyes.
Not overwhelmingly outmatched, nor dominant.
Tough match.
But with the secret technique, easy win.
Yuri shouted,
"Simon!"
Amid the noise, Simon heard clearly.
"How long will you just yield? Be the victor!"
Yuri meant more than this duel.
He cheered Simon's whole life: bastard-born, bullied by legitimate sons.
Simon glanced at Yuri, nodded, and murmured,
"Yes, Your Highness."
To Simon, the Third Prince was his life-changer.
He'd follow any order.
Simon raised his wooden sword.
The moment for the secret technique arrived.