Jared, who had been sleeping, opened his eyes at the sudden commotion. Someone was knocking on the door.
"Hey! You still asleep?"
The third prince was starting his day with energy.
"Get up already!"
He seemed full of vigor from the morning.
Laurent, the third prince's loyal knight and Jared's roommate, was already folding the bedding.
Even though staff would replace it anyway, he always neatly arranged his space.
Still lying down, Jared asked,
"Sir Laurent, didn't you just wake up too?"
"That's right. You're still lying down?"
"You're so diligent…"
Jared pulled the blanket over his head. Then the third prince knocked on the door again.
Laurent said with a laugh,
"Jared, if you don't get up, His Highness will just open the door and come in."
"Ugh…"
In the end, Jared got up.
While he was roughly putting on clothes, Laurent sat with his eyes closed in meditation.
Laurent always composed his mind like that before starting his daily routine.
He was young, but there was a lot to learn from him.
Even though he belonged to one of the most prestigious families in Briol, he never acted arrogant. When they fought together in the Allied Army, he even suggested they speak casually, since they were both knights.
Jared, who had lived as a commoner all his life, felt uncomfortable with such a relationship, so he continued to use formal speech until he felt comfortable.
Laurent didn't push him further.
He was a good man.
"Sir Laurent, what do you think His Highness plans to do today, getting so excited?"
"No idea."
"There's still time until the royal banquet at the imperial palace…"
Yuri was already knocking on other doors. Laughter from Jose could be heard beyond the wall.
Laurent said,
"Maybe he's just feeling upbeat."
"Pardon?"
"People's hearts tend to rebound without reason after hitting a low. Wasn't that the case yesterday?"
"Ah…"
Jared recalled yesterday's events.
At Ragna's estate, they met the imperial princess, Ekaterina Ibarra Granjay, known as the treasure of the Empire.
For Jared, it was the first time he had ever seen such a beautiful woman.
Words were meaningless. Every slight movement of her facial muscles, made to express emotions, was captivating.
Yet Yuri had shown no particular reaction.
Rather, he even seemed uncomfortable and turned away from her.
Later, even when she directly proposed to give him the tournament medal, he responded with refusal.
Had it been Jared facing those transparent green eyes, he could never have refused.
In that regard, the third prince was definitely no ordinary person.
"So bad boys really are popular, huh…"
"What are you talking about?"
In any case, Yuri had seemed a little down after that.
Jared stroked his chin.
"Could something have happened between them? I don't think they've met before…"
"The imperial princess once came to Briol with the second prince."
"Ah, back then."
At that time, Yuri had fought a duel against the second prince Georg's champion to save his personal maid, Ena.
They had briefly interacted then, and if Yuri was avoiding Ekaterina because of some incident from back then, it made sense.
"I don't know what happened, but it reminds me again that His Highness is no ordinary man."
"True enough."
"Would you have been able to refuse, Sir Laurent?"
Jared asked Laurent.
Though different from Yuri, Laurent also showed little interest in the opposite sex.
Laurent shrugged.
"Probably not."
"So you are a man after all, Sir Laurent."
He just gave a faint smile.
Once they finished getting ready and stepped out of the room, they were met with a ridiculous sight.
Yuri was dragging along a half-asleep Jose, Jose was dragging the drowsy Simon and Guinness, and Simon and Guinness were dragging a nodding Cory.
With Yuri at the lead, the four half-asleep people looked like they were dragging each other down like water ghosts.
Floating nearby, Ernando followed along, almost asleep himself.
"Sir Laurent."
"Yes?"
"I think we're the only ones in Briol maintaining sanity. The burden is heavy. Let us remain vigilant."
"Seems like it…"
***
Yuri led the group one by one to the familiar hotel restaurant.
The guests of Duforia were already used to this sight.
Yuri sat next to Ernando, who was engrossed in conversation with Cory.
Cory gave a small bow.
"Good morning, Your Highness."
"Cory, is this guy teaching you magic well?"
"Yes."
"Can you cast a blazing fireball yet?"
"Not yet…"
"Then he's not a great teacher."
Cory burst into laughter. Though still wearing his large hood, he had become much more cheerful compared to before.
"Ernando."
"Yes?"
"Want to come with me today?"
Yuri offered softly, but Ernando shook his head.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness."
"Why?"
"There's something I need to do at the Empire's Mage Tower branch."
"I thought you said the Imperial Mage Tower wasn't worth calling a tower?"
"That's true, but sometimes even half-baked people are worth meeting."
As he spoke, Ernando made a circle with his thumb and index finger and placed it over his right eye.
"This."
It referred to the parchment he had entrusted to Mariloz in Balshad. It was a gesture alluding to the vision of the eye appearing above the Black Tower.
Yuri sighed.
"If you have work, there's no helping it."
Ernando had been unusually busy lately.
A man who normally lacked motivation had begun focusing his efforts ever since discovering that parchment.
Yuri was pleased about it.
"If you need anything, let me know."
"Yes."
"Cory, stick close to Ernando. He can't play cards, but his magic's decent."
"Didn't you just say he wasn't a great teacher?"
"Did I?"
Yuri decided to take along his two loyal subordinates instead of Ernando.
"Laurent, Jared."
He called the two who were eating behind him.
"You'll be coming with me today."
"Understood."
"Yes."
It was their job to escort Yuri anyway.
Just then, Simon, glancing over from another table, asked,
"Um, Your Highness, what about us…"
"You guys just keep having fun."
"S-Sorry."
"No, you never know when you'll be back to the capital. Broadening your perspective is part of your training."
Simon and Guinness had been tagging along with Jose. They were practically on a sightseeing trip around the capital. The ones with the easiest time.
Jose nodded.
"Truly worthy of a prince. Hahaha."
"By the way, isn't Bursen coming?"
"Do you want to get rid of me that badly? I'm hurt."
"No, it's just that he's really late. He should've left before us."
"He'll show up when the time is right."
Nations that participated in the Allied Army were gradually arriving at the capital.
But there had been no word from Bursen.
"If they don't come, so be it. I'll represent Bursen myself."
At those words, Simon and Guinness looked at Jose with admiration.
"Sir Jose, your confidence is truly amazing."
"If you build your skills, you can be like me too. Want to come with me to an arms shop today? A knight needs a good eye for equipment."
"That sounds great!"
He would become one of the ten strongest in the future, so that level of confidence wasn't too much. He was already becoming the representative knight of Bursen.
Trusting that they'd manage well, Yuri stopped worrying about those three.
As he put food into his mouth, he said to Laurent and Jared,
"Don't eat too much. The person we're meeting today is treating us to lunch."
"But you're still eating?"
"This much is fine."
***
The person Yuri met was a priest named Vlad, introduced by Sibylla.
He wasn't wearing the typical white priest robe that priests stubbornly clung to, but a stylish casual outfit more fitting for the capital's nobles.
If not for the cross badge on his chest, no one would have known he was affiliated with the temple.
"Your attire is rather secular."
"Hahaha…"
At Yuri's words, Vlad scratched his head.
"It's more convenient to dress this way if you want to get things done in the Empire. It's also a personal preference."
"I see."
"Here, sometimes you need to be a businessman, not a priest."
"I understand. I was just curious."
Yuri clasped his hands under his chin, like an interviewer.
"So, you want to join hands with me. Huhuhu…"
Vlad chuckled.
"You sound like a real big shot."
"I kind of am. Shall we talk business now?"
"Sounds good."
Vlad skimmed the notebook in front of him, then promptly closed it.
"First, what kind of compensation do you seek, Your Highness?"
With a sly smile, Yuri unclasped his hands, stretched out in his chair, and looked around.
They were currently inside a temple located in the imperial capital.
The temple in Briol's royal castle was grand too, but it didn't compare to this place.
"A business backed by such a massive temple…"
"To save the lambs who have strayed down wicked paths."
"Drugs turning into money for a temple, how ironic."
"To carry out the will of God on Earth, sometimes it's unavoidable."
"True."
Yuri crossed his arms and thought for a moment.
"Tell me what you want me to do first. We'll discuss the reward afterward."
Vlad smiled.
"The man Your Highness admitted is receiving treatment well."
"That's good to hear."
"Through Prince Yuri, we'd like to raise awareness about the dangers of drugs, and promote our temple's treatment clinic. People tend to avoid the topic of drug rehabilitation, but I'd like to change that."
"Right. People try to hide it."
"But Prince Yuri boldly brought his friend to the clinic yourself, without concern for public opinion."
The truth was, since Gott wasn't really his friend, Yuri had acted without much thought. Still, he nodded as if agreeing.
"Y-yes. It's more disgraceful to let things worsen without seeking help when help is needed."
"Exactly. I want to send that message to the Empire. I want to build a culture where anyone can be treated with dignity."
"You think the drug problem in the Empire is really that bad?"
"Yes. Especially among the children of nobles, it's being distributed heavily."
Yuri nodded.
After all, wasn't Edran, who had supplied the drugs to Gott, a noble's child? Among the Empire's nobility, it might already be a commonplace item.
"Well then, that's the proposal. What would you like in return, Your Highness? We have funds ready."
Yuri sank into thought. He didn't need money. In fact, he had more than enough.
What he truly needed was control over the Empire.
And the temple possessed something that could help with that.
"I want to earn the friendship of the temple."
"Pardon?"
"Would you make me a Baptized One?"
Vlad's eyes widened.
He looked surprised by the unexpected request.
The title of Baptized One was a sacred designation given to those who had done great favors for the temple, or who lived lives befitting the teachings of the gods.
Of course, that was the official reason.
In truth, it was a concept created by the temple to counter the noble right to confer knighthood.
But among the faithful, it carried great influence.
"A Baptized One…"
It wasn't a title that could be given out lightly.
However, Vlad was quick to calculate.
If someone like Yuri—who attracted the continent's attention—became a Baptized One, it would lead to more people turning to the temple.
Finishing his thoughts, Vlad smiled gently and asked,
"Your Highness, do you believe in God?"
Yuri did not. Even now, in this second life, he still didn't. Just because he had returned to the past didn't mean he believed in the existence of a god.
Yuri smiled at Vlad.
"If I must believe, then I will."
Vlad let out a chuckle.
He tapped the table, mulling over Yuri's words, and then nodded.
"That's a fine answer. I like it."
"Glad to hear that."
"Let's do the interview today. Would you be fine doing it with your friend?"
"No script or anything?"
"The temple will prepare a proper outline. The visuals are the key. We've arranged for a famous painter. You'll need to wait a bit until the sketch is ready."
"Understood."
"And we'd like you to participate in a future temple event."
Yuri nodded.
"How's Gott doing?"
"Well. He's cooperating with the clinic."
"What's he been saying? Anything?"
"He keeps silent, except during treatment…"
Vlad checked the time.
"It's lunchtime now. Shall we eat first, then go see him?"
"Sure."
Yuri stood up. Not far away, Laurent and Jared were looking up at a cross and chatting about something.
"Hey, let's eat."
"Ah, yes."
Following Vlad to the temple dining hall, they found quite a few children already eating.
Most of them appeared to be nobles or children from wealthy families.
"These children have been receiving the temple's teachings since they were young."
"Birds of a feather flock together, huh."
"Hahaha…"
Yuri picked up a tray. He never expected to see such a familiar item here at the temple.
"Frugality is one of the temple's principles."
Though Vlad himself was dressed lavishly, Yuri simply nodded.
As he went down the line receiving food, Yuri opened his mouth in front of the main dish—meat.
"Could I get a bit more meat…"
Then he stopped.
He looked up at the person in front of him.
"Huh?"
The server was wearing a black mask.
Through the slit at his eyes, he looked at Yuri and said,
"I didn't expect you to be so devout."
"Uhh…"
Yuri couldn't find the words, but Vlad chuckled from the side.
"Don't be startled. He's a devout man who comes to volunteer often."
Looking at the server wearing a hygiene cap and apron, masked in black, Yuri's mouth fell open.
He'd thought he might run into this person at some point after arriving in the Empire—but never expected it to be like this.
One of the Ten Strongest.
The Empire's sharpest spear.
The 'Black Knight' stood there.
[T/L: Read more chapters on Ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]