To the people of Briol staying in the Imperial Capital, Gott Bakbar was a source of pride.
He stood out among the talents gathered at the Academium from all over the continent.
He was always ranked near the top of the honor roll, and whenever a Briol exchange student got into trouble with students from other countries, he stepped in and resolved it himself.
But Gott had a secret.
"Hey, Gott."
"Edran."
In the underground training room of the Academium, Gott ran into his peer, Edran.
"You look good these days. Guess the stuff's working well?"
"The goods?"
"You left it with me?"
At Edran's gesture, the guard behind him stepped forward.
"Show him the goods."
The guard opened the pouch he was holding. It was filled with finely crushed, blue crystal-like fragments.
Gott's eyes turned bloodshot.
Unable to take his eyes off the pouch, he spoke to Edran.
"I'll take it. All of it."
Gott held out several silver coins.
But Edran didn't take them. The guard tied the pouch shut and stepped back.
"Why?"
"What do you mean, why?"
Edran jabbed his finger into Gott's chest.
"Just because you offer a few coins, you think I should sell it on your terms?"
"If you need more money..."
"No, that's not it."
Edran grinned slyly.
"You'll have to do me a favor."
"Name it."
"I heard your third prince is coming to the Imperial Capital?"
At those words, Gott's expression hardened.
He had a history with the third prince.
When he visited the palace with his father long ago, he had gotten into a fight with the then-young third prince.
He didn't remember what triggered it, but somehow it happened. And the third prince had used dirty tricks, like kicking sand at him.
When he reported the prince's cowardly tactics to his father, this was the response he got:
'That third prince probably won't die early on the battlefield.'
At the time, Gott hadn't understood his father's reaction. But now, he thought he did.
Hadn't the third prince gone on to make a name for himself in the Allied Army?
He still remembered what the prince said before they parted.
'Whatever the situation may be, always try to see its essence.'
The more he thought about it, the stranger the third prince seemed. His actions and words from childhood only now made sense as an adult.
If he had met him again before coming to the Empire, maybe none of this would be happening.
While Gott was lost in self-mockery, Edran continued.
"Someone really wants to get close to the third prince."
"You're trying to pull something on His Highness?"
"Oh, Gott. I didn't know you were such a patriot. Loyal to the royal family, is that it?"
At Edran's glance, the guard slightly opened the pouch again. Gott's eyes involuntarily followed.
As the pouch swayed, the crystals inside shifted and sparkled.
Gott's hands trembled.
He wanted to snatch it away right then and there.
"Ah ah, not yet."
With a gesture, Edran had the blue crystals hidden once more inside the pouch. Gott felt a despairing sense of loss.
Edran whispered low.
"It's not like we're trying to hurt him. Just set up a chance for the two of them to meet."
Edran went on.
"If you say no, I'll never sell you this stuff again. And who knows, rumors might spread. That Gott Bakbar is just another drug addict hooked on the stuff."
Gott couldn't keep thinking any longer. Overwhelmed by craving, he could only nod toward Edran.
"Alright. Just like you said, right? I'm only introducing a person?"
"That's right. Just a little help, that's all."
Gott's mind was tangled with thoughts.
Justifying it was easy. As Edran said, he was merely making an introduction. If anything happened afterward, it would be the third prince's fault for lacking self-restraint.
Just as Gott's current state was entirely his own doing.
Gott spoke.
"Alright."
"Smart choice. The third prince might even thank you. She's incredibly beautiful, after all."
"So that's it..."
"Here."
At Edran's signal, the guard placed the pouch in Gott's hand.
Without hesitation, Gott pulled out one of the blue crystals and placed it on his tongue. It dissolved instantly, turning into a pale blue gas that swirled in his mouth before being absorbed through his mucous membranes.
Gott's eyes rolled back.
His breathing quickened.
Watching the scene, Edran burst into laughter.
"Feels good, doesn't it, Gott?"
Gott exhaled deeply. Saliva dripped from his mouth.
***
"Gott, huh? That's an unexpected name."
Yuri nodded with his arms crossed. He was sitting on Dale's back, who was lying flat on the ground. A moan came from below.
"Ugh, Your Highness... this is too much..."
"If you collapse, you die."
"Ughhh..."
In front of him, Pamia waited in a demure posture.
"Why do you think he did it?"
"I'm sorry. I don't know why he agreed to something like this, but Gott is a good guy. That's why I trusted him too..."
"Silence."
In his past life, Gott had become a pawn of the Empire and opened a path for them, even going as far as to leak Briol's weaknesses.
He was the kind of scum who deserved to be chewed up and spat out.
Still, Yuri hadn't cut him down immediately. He had hoped that things might be different in this life.
But once again, Gott had let him down.
Yuri asked Pamia.
"Pamia."
"Y-yes..."
"You studied cards to seduce me?"
"Yes..."
"How diligent. How long did you practice?"
"A week...?"
"What?"
"I guess I had a knack for it..."
Yuri felt a bit stunned.
To have developed enough skill in just a week to win money in Basregas—if true, it was an incredible talent.
"What a waste for someone rotting in Giru."
Pamia was a high-class courtesan working in Giru. Edran had been one of her clients, and he had offered a huge reward for her help in this matter.
Winning over men's favor was nothing new for her, and when she heard her target was the third prince of Briol—the very one who had shaken the continent—she accepted the offer without hesitation.
"If I'd known he was like this, I wouldn't have taken the job..."
"A cold and rational man?"
"A man who doesn't see women as women..."
"You're mistaken."
"The story about you dating the princess of the Holy Kingdom was fake too, right?"
"You're assuming too much."
"You're actually in that kind of relationship with the loyal knight, Sir Laurent, aren't you?"
"No."
Looking at the whole situation, it seemed Gott was already in league with the Empire.
Even though Yuri remembered his past life, he hadn't known Gott had studied abroad at the Academium.
Maybe this was the result of his interference. But since his real influence on the continent began after the Allied Army, perhaps Gott had simply enrolled in the Academium originally anyway.
There, he might've made rotten Imperial friends—or perhaps he'd thrown away Briol's honor and become their lapdog.
Either way, it was a problem.
Thinking of Gott's father, the loyal knight Twossen Bakbar, Yuri pondered how to deal with this matter.
His mind even considered the most extreme form of punishment.
Then suddenly, Pamia asked,
"Are you going to kill him...?"
"...What?"
Startled by her words, Dale collapsed to the ground. With Yuri still on his back, the impact doubled, and he groaned in pain.
Yuri patted Dale's hunched back and got up.
"Why do you ask that all of a sudden?"
"I just... saw a flash of killing intent in your eyes..."
"You can sense killing intent?"
"I'm pretty perceptive..."
"Maybe so."
Yuri agreed with her. Depending on the situation, he could kill him.
"If he sold me out, he has to pay the price."
That alone was more than enough reason.
Leave him be, and he might betray again. Better to cut the root early.
Yuri never hesitated when it came to blood.
If necessary, he would even resort to assassination.
Gott Bakbar would disappear for some reason, or suffer an unfortunate accident, and be forever forgotten by history.
"Dale."
"Y-yes?"
"Where's Gott right now?"
"Probably at home..."
"Let's go."
"Now?"
"Yes."
Dale hesitated, glancing around. Yuri then spoke to Pamia.
"Pamia."
"...Yes."
"We played cards together, so I'll let you go."
"Thank you..."
"May you become a fine gambler."
"Hmm..."
Yuri decided to let her go without punishment.
Pamia had only approached them because of Edran's request. Right now, finding Gott was more urgent.
Yuri signaled Dale.
"Get up."
"Y-yes."
When Dale couldn't get up properly, Yuri grabbed his arm and pulled hard. Dale staggered and leaned into him as if collapsing into his arms.
Yuri clicked his tongue.
"What the hell are you doing? What's your major?"
"Swordsmanship Department..."
"Seriously?"
"I-I didn't want to go either. But it's a family tradition..."
Now Yuri understood why Dale relied on Gott.
There was no way the rough students of the Swordsmanship Department would leave someone as timid as Dale alone. Gott had probably protected him from being bullied all this time.
But help without cost eventually becomes a debt.
Yuri smacked Dale hard on the back.
"So damn weak."
"S-sorry..."
"Just lead the way."
"Are you really going to kill Gott?"
"No. Of course not. We'll resolve this peacefully."
That was a lie.
"Y-you made the right choice. You'll see, Gott's a good guy."
"To you, maybe."
Yuri led the two of them out of the room.
As when they first arrived, the hallway was quiet, and no one was in sight. But as they descended the stairs, a casino staff member suddenly appeared, greeted them, and went up toward the room they had just left.
The Basregas Casino had a bizarre underbelly, as infamous as its reputation.
Yuri smirked.
"Something interesting happened the moment I arrived in the capital."
***
After sending Pamia away, Yuri headed to Gott's residence with Dale. Gott lived in a multifamily building located in the heart of the capital, renting out the entire second floor.
"Sir Bakbar must be having a rough time."
Johannes probably wasn't that well-off financially, yet he seemed strangely devoted to his son's education.
As Yuri climbed the stairs with Dale leading, he suddenly looked up through the gap in the railing.
There was an ominous scent coming from above.
It was a unique sense that only someone who had mastered the heart-soul slash could perceive.
He placed his fingers on Guilty at his waist.
"Here it is."
Dale stopped at the entrance.
The iron door had a small peephole to look outside, but from the outside, one couldn't see in.
Dale knocked on the door.
"Gott."
There was no response.
"Gott?"
He knocked louder. Still silence.
Yuri asked,
"Does he get many visitors?"
"No. Gott doesn't like people showing up unannounced..."
"Really?"
The strange sensation he had felt earlier was even stronger beyond the door.
Yuri activated the heart-soul slash and spread its force through his entire body. Dale, feeling the pressure of mana, stepped back.
Yuri ripped the door handle off.
"It's open."
As the door creaked open, a foul stench wafted out.
It was so bad even Dale could smell it, and he wrinkled his nose while glancing around the interior.
"What is this...?"
Still wearing his shoes, Yuri stepped inside. A room that appeared to be the bedroom had its door slightly ajar.
Yuri immediately kicked it open.
It was a disgraceful sight.
Gott was lying on the bed.
Blue smoke was rising from his nose and mouth. His eyes were unfocused, and drool dribbled from his lips.
At a glance, it was clear he was high on drugs.
Dale, who had followed behind, froze on the spot.
"W-what is this...?"
Gott slowly turned his head toward them and grinned. The calmness of his expression, so unfit for the situation, made it eerily unsettling.
"Dale."
"Gott..."
"Looks like you did as I asked. Good job. Good job..."
He staggered to his feet.
He didn't seem to be thinking clearly. His dazed voice rambled on.
"It's been a while, Your Highness. Prince Yuri. Hahaha..."
Yuri let out a sigh.
Given what Gott had done, he had at least expected him to have some kind of plan in place—but there was nothing.
The situation was even more pathetic than expected.
It was obvious at first glance.
Gott was addicted to drugs, and most likely, the Empire had used that to leash him into servitude.
"Gott."
"Yes. Hahaha..."
"It's been a long time."
"Indeed. A long time. But when did we meet again...?"
"When we were kids."
"Oh, right. That's true. Back then..."
Suddenly, his demeanor shifted.
"I'm deeply indebted to you..."
A common trait of those under the influence—mood swings, incoherent thoughts.
Gott abruptly grabbed a flower vase from the bedside table and threw it.
"Like this!"
Yuri caught it mid-air.
"Hoo..."
He'd clearly overdosed. He was on a rampage. Even if he hadn't been discovered now, he would've caused trouble sooner or later.
And he wasn't done—Gott grabbed a sword and charged at them.
"Well, damn..."
The pale blue aura wafting from his nose and mouth was dangerous.
Apparently, the drug didn't just cause addiction—it temporarily pushed the body into a state of violent overdrive.
"Y-Your Highness?"
Dale turned pale.
Yuri remained still while Gott, laughing like a lunatic, charged at him.
"Guess we'll need a change of scenery."
Yuri simply launched a flying kick.
Gott didn't even have a chance to swing his sword—he was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing through the window and falling outside. A dull thud echoed as his body hit the ground.
The outside wind blew in, sweeping through the now-ruined bedroom.
As Dale swallowed nervously, he choked on his own spit and began coughing like a dying man.
[T/L: Read more chapters on Ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]