"Your Highness."
Jared asked,
"Isn't that practically a sign of affection?"
Yuri, Laurent, and Jared were walking down the road after leaving Ragna's mansion. Jared kept talking about Ekaterina.
"I've never seen someone so beautiful. I thought the rumors were exaggerated, but they didn't do her justice. Your Highness."
"So what?"
"Let's enter the tournament."
"No."
When Ragna briefly stepped away, Ekaterina had asked Yuri for the medal awarded to the tournament's winner.
Dedicating the glory of victory to someone else was not uncommon.
"She probably just wanted the medal."
"No, Your Highness. You don't get that kind of look in your eyes from a mere desire like that."
Jared insisted the way Ekaterina looked at Yuri was the gaze of someone in love.
But Yuri knew.
Ekaterina could put on that expression whenever it suited her needs.
"That woman is dangerous."
She was a frightening woman. It was a good thing he knew her true nature—otherwise, he might've ended up like Jared, utterly clueless.
If this weren't his second life, he too would've fought in the tournament for her, not knowing a thing.
Yuri tapped Jared's chest.
"Jared."
"Yes?"
"Quiet."
"Still, Your Highness."
"Then why don't you go win and dedicate it yourself?"
"I don't bother with trees I can't climb."
Yuri sighed. From here on out, he had something to do on his own.
"From here, I'm moving alone."
"Excuse me?"
"There's something I need to take care of."
"Traveling alone is dangerous, Your Highness. Is it because I've been annoying?"
"Well, I can't say that's completely wrong."
"I won't do it again."
"It's partly that, but this is something I have to do alone. Don't worry, just go."
Then Laurent jabbed Jared in the side and replied,
"Understood."
"Sir Laurent?"
"Let's go, Jared."
"But..."
"We'll see you later."
Laurent grabbed Jared and walked off in the opposite direction from Yuri.
Left alone, Yuri looked up at the sky.
Meeting Ekaterina had stirred something in him. Laurent probably sensed that too, which was why he pulled Jared away. Laurent was far more perceptive than Jared.
"This isn't good…"
Letting the lingering emotions from his past life shake him to the point of derailing his mission—that was something he couldn't allow.
"Hoo…"
He let out a short sigh and slapped his cheeks with both hands. Then he activated the mana method, circulating mana throughout his body.
His head cleared.
"Focus, focus."
He muttered to himself and resumed walking, with longer strides than before.
"Quickly, precisely."
He soon made his way toward the dark alleys of the Imperial Capital.
Just as light brings shadows, even the Imperial Capital had its own back-alley ecosystem. Yuri entered it without hesitation.
"They made a big scene in Briol, tsk tsk…"
Yuri stopped in front of a sign that read "Uncle's Daily Loan."
With an elite casino like Basregas nearby, it seemed their gambling den and loan sharking business wasn't doing too well.
But the Empire hadn't sent them here to turn a profit.
Yuri knocked on the door.
"Hey, Gorio."
He called the name. No response. Yuri knocked again, calling out to Gorio once more.
Then the door creaked open, and a rough-looking man peeked his head out.
Upon spotting Yuri, the man beamed brightly. His smile was oddly endearing.
"Your Highness. We've been expecting you."
"Yeah."
Yuri stepped into the Uncle's Daily Loan building.
The man flipped the sign and locked the door immediately.
"The layout's similar to Briol…"
"We've structured it efficiently in our own way."
Once they entered a dimly lit room inside, Gorio stood up and bowed deeply to Yuri. His demeanor was entirely different from when they first met.
Asana had played a major role in making this happen.
"It's been a while."
"Yes, Your Highness. I didn't expect to see you in the Imperial Capital."
Yuri sat across from him.
Aside from the fact that Gorio now served under him, the setup was similar to when they first met.
"What about the matter I asked you to look into?"
"I looked into people who recently had issues with their eyes, but there were too many. I filtered them based on our own criteria."
"Go on."
"First, mages."
Gorio handed over a list.
"And nobles."
Another list was produced.
"Among them, the ones showing the secretive movements Your Highness mentioned are these individuals."
The list he handed over this time was noticeably shorter than the others.
Yuri recognized some of the nobles on the list, but others were entirely new to him.
"From among these…"
Yuri handed the list back to Gorio.
"Sort out the ones who enter and leave the Imperial Palace. Investigate them."
"You mean the palace, Your Highness?"
Gorio's face stiffened.
The Imperial Palace, where the Emperor resided, was the most sacred place on the continent. For someone from the underworld to be tasked with such a thing was understandably overwhelming.
Yuri chuckled.
"Just check if they go in and out. If it seems too risky, pull back."
"Understood."
"How's the Empire branch business going?"
"Some places are doing well, others aren't."
"Good. We're not here to make money anyway."
Now, Yuri was funding the Gorio group directly. All the money had been multiplied through the Rein Company.
Even now, Yuri's wealth continued to grow.
"Gorio. Information is money in this world."
Yuri was trying to establish a basic-level information guild through Gorio, based on his experience from his past life.
"There's no place better than the back alleys for gathering rumors. Let's diversify the business."
"Understood."
Gorio was a smart man. He understood exactly what Yuri meant.
"And Gorio, have you seen anything like this recently?"
Yuri pulled out the drug he had received from Ragna and showed it to him. Gorio took it and examined it closely.
"This is the drug currently circulating in the back alleys."
"Where's it from?"
"Not sure. I haven't paid much attention to the drug scene…"
Even before he came under Yuri, Gorio had steered clear of drugs. He didn't trust people addicted to them.
"Look into it."
"Understood."
He nodded.
In short, it just meant more work. But Gorio didn't complain.
"You've been working hard in the Empire, so I'll make sure a bonus goes through."
"Thank you."
Yuri always rewarded their efforts accordingly.
As the major shareholder of the Rein Company, this much was an easy matter.
With the knowledge Yuri provided, Eraine continued to expand the business, and even her own commercial talents began to blossom. Now, the Rein Company had grown into a corporation that spanned the entire continent.
Even if it went by a different name, within the Empire as well, Rein Company's capital was involved in countless ventures.
When you think about it, wasn't Gorio's group and their operation of Uncle's Daily Loan also essentially a subsidiary of the Rein Company?
"Gorio."
"Yes."
"Calling you 'boss' is a bit much, so let's go with 'President' from now on."
"Understood."
"Tell the staff to listen well to President Gorio."
Yuri stood from his seat.
"If you ever get overwhelmed in a fight, let me know. I'll assign a knight or two."
"We're sufficient."
"Alright. Just don't use deadly weapons. If it looks like things are heating up too much, back out and report to me."
"Yes, sir."
Originally, Gorio had been a more dangerous villain because of his brilliant mind, but once he became Yuri's subordinate, there was no one more capable.
"Your Highness."
Just as Yuri was leaving the room, Gorio called out to him.
When Yuri turned around, Gorio gave a deep bow.
"Until next time. Please stay in good health."
Yuri let out a quiet chuckle. He was even more polite than before.
Now that Yuri's status had risen through the Allied Army, Gorio seemed to have realized the unbridgeable gap between them and decided to devote himself even more seriously.
And with his sharp mind, the calculations must have been quick.
Yuri grinned.
"You too, Gorio. You're one of my precious assets, so don't get yourself hurt."
"Yes, sir."
Yuri also intended to reward him fairly in accordance with his loyalty.
The other subordinates, who had been quietly watching the exchange, gave awkward bows.
Now that Yuri had acknowledged Gorio, his growing prestige would also increase Gorio's control over the organization.
"See you again."
"Take care, sir."
Yuri exited the Gorio group's base.
The slums looked no different from those in Briol or the Empire.
The local residents eyed his neat appearance with greed, but when they saw the sword clinking at his waist, they didn't dare approach.
Yuri ignored them and walked on.
After passing a few blocks, the splendid streets of the Imperial Capital emerged, as if none of that had happened.
He resumed his solitary walk through the capital. Before long, he came across a well-maintained street filled with cafés and restaurants—one of the places where couples in the capital often met.
In his previous life, he had come here in secret with Ekaterina, wearing a disguise.
Yuri found himself smiling unconsciously, but then his expression hardened.
No. That wasn't it.
It was all a misunderstanding.
To Ekaterina, others were merely tools. He too had been just someone to be used.
The day she betrayed him, he swore he would never forgive her.
Yuri hailed a passing carriage.
"To the Duforia Hotel."
"Understood."
The coachman seemed to recognize him, but didn't say more.
After arriving at the hotel, Yuri paid the fare and returned to his room.
Fatigue hit him all at once, and he collapsed onto the bed. Covering his eyes with both arms, he tried to rest, but memories from the past came flooding back.
Maybe it was because he had met Ekaterina today.
'How's Briol?'
'My homeland?'
She would often ask about Briol's affairs.
It was one of those days. Fiore had said she had something to take care of and left the palace without telling anyone.
Yuri had been naive and trusted Ekaterina.
So he told her that Fiore wasn't there.
And the invasion began shortly after.
The Empire had known not only about Fiore's absence, but many other things as well. Everything he had told her about Briol was turned into a weapon. The Empire struck ruthlessly at Briol's weak points.
Even then, Yuri still believed in Ekaterina. He sent her a letter, but all she returned was a brief reply saying she was sorry.
The tone of the letter was one he knew too well—when he opened the letter, it was as if he could hear her voice.
Yuri closed his eyes.
It all started because of his mistake.
He should never have trusted her. Blinded by her beauty, he destroyed his country.
Therefore, no one bore more guilt for Briol's downfall than himself.
Yuri whispered the name of his enemy.
"Ekaterina."
The word felt unfamiliar in his mouth.
Yuri was confused.
Ever since he met her today, his heart had been in turmoil. Despite everything between them, the good memories had grown stronger alongside the deepening hatred.
When he closed his eyes, her face passed by.
'Yuri, let's walk together.'
Her bright smile as she reached out her hand lingered in his mind.
Yuri clenched his fists and forced the thought away. Then, he painted over it with the image of a burning Briol.
By turning longing into hatred, the scale was finally balanced.
"Ekaterina."
Now the word carried hostility.
Yuri gritted his teeth.
Ekaterina's smile, when she had asked for the tournament medal, was disgusting.
How could someone lie so effortlessly?
Yuri had never once hidden his feelings from her.
"I…"
The way she looked at him with a sideways glance and smiled, that mischievous smirk revealing her true nature—was all of it an act?
Yuri thought not.
"I truly liked her…"
He didn't want to sink into self-pity.
But the way Ekaterina looked today was so much like when he first fell for her, it felt like a weight pulling his heart down.
He pulled the pillow over his head.
He'd been running so long, maybe a day like this was okay. If he could shake it off this way, then a bit of wallowing might even be helpful.
Then suddenly, he remembered the ring he had secretly kept in a drawer for her.
He struck the bed in a sudden outburst. Then hit it again.
His clenched fists dug his nails into his palms, drawing blood.
Yuri sat up and blankly stared at the bleeding hand.
The red color soaked into the white sheets.
The stain kept spreading, but he didn't feel like moving.
So, he just laughed.
[T/L: Read more chapters on Ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]