Rise of the Fallen Kingdom’s Third Prince

Yuri absentmindedly touched his head.

Only one possibility came to mind. crystal Could it be that I’ve died and arrived in heaven?

Standing before him was his father—long dead—just as he remembered him from the past.

No, someone like me couldn’t possibly end up in heaven. atlas Did my father fall into hell instead?

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“Ah…”

Well, for someone who always preached about honor, he sure lived quite indulgently.

Hot tears rolled down Yuri’s cheeks.

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Just as the temple had said, death wasn’t the end.

The king and the prince falling into hell side by side—what a tragedy for the royal family of Briol.

“Father…”

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“Huh?”

“So in the end, you really did fall into hell…”

A father and son reunited in hell—what a cruel punishment.

Could it be that one’s sins in life followed them into the afterlife to judge their soul?

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His father, initially flustered, finally did what he always used to do—smack him on the head again.

“What nonsense are you spouting now?”

“You always talked about honor. orbit You should’ve lived it instead of just preaching it.”

“You still haven’t dropped that habit of hitting people, even in hell?”

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“Repent!”

Shouting, Yuri jumped to his feet, and suddenly noticed something strange.

The surroundings were far too normal.

“What’s gotten into you today?”

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It was a place both unfamiliar and familiar at once—his old royal palace from the past.

There were no purging flames or sinners wailing impaled on spikes.

And there were no demons mocking or tormenting them.

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“Yuri, are you okay?”

Beside him stood Ena, the maid who had always cared for him.

“Your Highness. portal Are you alright?”

“Your Highness, hitting people on the head isn’t proper behavior,” sighed Bernard, his sword master.

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The others were debatable, but at the very least, Cedric was the purest soul Yuri had ever known.

That voice came from Cedric, his older brother—holy and noble—someone who couldn’t possibly have ended up in hell.

Only then did Yuri realize there might be another explanation.

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And promptly fainted.

Yuri looked around at the four pairs of eyes watching him.

“…No way…”

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But no matter how hard he tried, he neither woke up nor did the world end.

At first, Yuri thought it might be a dream, or perhaps a long, drawn-out death vision.

Instead, moments long buried in the depths of his memory began to replay.

***

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He had returned to the past.

Yuri had no choice but to accept it.

In the spring of the year he turned thirteen.

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“It’s time for your sword training.”

Ena shook Yuri’s body as he squirmed beneath the blankets.

“Your Highness, Your Highness.”

“What is it…”

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“His Majesty might scold you.”

“I’m strong even without training.”

“Stop saying nonsense in your sleep.”

“I’m not doing that crap.”

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“Ah…!”

“Your Highness?”

Did he really think going back in time would fix everything?

Yuri tried to push Ena’s hand away, but suddenly sat bolt upright.

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Where was the Yuri who once groaned under the weight of his sins and repented for the life he had led?

No. crystal That wasn’t it.

Almost like he had been dragged by the inertia of habit, he had reverted to being the same troublemaking prince he once was.

People don’t change so easily.

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His heart pounded heavily in his chest.

“Damn it…”

Had even his mind regressed along with his return to a child’s body? alpha Going back in time didn’t erase his sins. arctic In fact, now a harsher punishment awaited him.

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One mistake might be called a fall. avalanche But to fail again in this life would be a true and unforgivable sin.

“Three days.”

“How long was I unconscious after spouting nonsense?”

A chill ran down his spine.

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Yuri jumped up and grabbed his head.

“Three days?!”

“You.”

Ena, used to his odd behavior, just shrugged.

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He looked at her.

“Yes?”

Her eyes were innocent and pure. antenna He remembered what kind of end this sweet and kind girl eventually met.

Yuri shut his eyes tightly and made a declaration.

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“…Excuse me?”

“Three times!”

“Slap me.”

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“If I order it, it’s not treason.”

Ena’s eyes went wide.

“Is this an excuse to get me fired?”

“Your Highness, are you ordering me to commit treason?”

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“Then, are you going to turn around and slap me back?”

“Absolutely not!”

“Of course not.”

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And who could blame her? audit He had been a brat since childhood, pulling pranks that mocked any belief in human decency.

Still, despite his bad behavior, his natural talent and sharp mind meant he was rarely scolded for neglecting his studies or training.

She clearly didn’t believe him.

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But he had been lazy. arctic He had wasted his life. aluminum He would never do that again.

“Ena, listen carefully.”

Whoever gave him this second chance—God or otherwise—Yuri vowed not to repeat his failed life.

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“Yes?”

“Are you serious?”

“I, Yuri, swear that no matter what happens, I will not retaliate for your slap.”

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“Of course…”

“I, Yuri Briol, always keep my word once given.”

“Then I can really slap you?”

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There was no hesitation in her hand. anxiety Even though he’d asked for it, for some reason, a wave of injustice rose within him.

Yuri’s face turned to the side.

“……!”

Snap!

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Ena had once taken first place in the female sprint at the royal palace servants’ athletic meet and was ranked top tier in arm wrestling.

“Two more to go.”

In front of him, Ena was rolling her shoulders, a slight smile on her lips. antenna And then Yuri remembered something he’d forgotten.

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“Your Highness, clench your teeth.”

Surprisingly athletic, despite her slender frame. canvas Ena squinted and gauged the distance.

“Wait, wait…”

“If I miss, you might break a tooth. acoustic You like meat, right?”

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“I have two slaps left. arena You made a promise, remember? admire I don’t want to do this, but for your honor, I must slap you through tears.”

“Ena, listen.”

“No, please don’t…”

“Yes, I must.”

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Two sharp slaps followed in quick succession.

And so, Yuri left the palace with swollen cheeks. atom Ena had offered to apply ointment, but he refused and stormed out.

“……”

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“Good morning, Your Highness. timber What mischief are you planning today?”

“Hello, Your Highness! timber You look great as always. amber Who did you mess with this time?”

The saddest part was that no one seemed to care at all about his swollen face.

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“Your Highness, are you coming to the card game tonight? meadow You have to take revenge on Lord Hernand!”

Yuri ignored everyone and ran straight to the training grounds.

He really had lived poorly.

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“Let’s begin today’s training.”

His eyes briefly flicked to Yuri’s swollen cheek, then turned away.

Bernard, who had been practicing alone, turned to look at him.

“He’s here, Your Highness.”

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Yuri felt another wave of sorrow.

“……”

He pointed to his swollen cheek in protest, but Bernard didn’t even look.

Yuri caught the wooden sword Bernard tossed him.

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“Come at me.”

So this really was my past.

What kind of life had I lived, for everyone to look at me like this even at thirteen?

“Now?”

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After Yuri turned thirteen, Bernard stopped teaching him form and stance, and trained him through sparring instead.

“Yes.”

Partly because Yuri didn’t cooperate during training, and partly because he learned too quickly.

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“If His Highness were a little more diligent, he’d be Briol’s blessing,” Bernard had once told the king.

“Bernard.”

Back then, instead of taking it seriously and trying harder, Yuri had just slacked off more.

He was ashamed of that past.

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“Yes?”

Yuri raised his chin.

“Promise me one thing.”

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“What is it?”

Yuri raised his wooden sword.

“Teach me properly.”

“Starting today—”

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Yuri smiled and declared:

A flash of surprise passed through Bernard’s eyes.

“I, Yuri Briol, will live seriously from now on.”

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“……”

“So will you train me properly?”

Yuri didn’t mind.

Bernard tilted his head.

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True resolve is shown through action.

“Your Highness… I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but…”

If his past life had taught him anything, it was the emptiness of words. album The human heart is fickle, and a three-inch tongue can twist the truth at will.

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His demeanor changed.

“Very well.”

Bernard nodded.

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Which meant he was far too much for a thirteen-year-old to handle.

The true face of Bernard—the Demon of the Sword—who had once felled countless enemies before being slain by the King of Briol, was now revealed.

“……”

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But Bernard didn’t stop. armor The wooden sword rained down from every direction.

“Wait a second…”

Yuri opened his mouth before he could stop himself.

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Bernard raised an eyebrow.

So, he crouched.

It was a living, breathing swordplay, like the flickering tongue of a snake. voyage For Yuri, who hadn’t yet learned any mana technique, it was impossible to keep up.

“Oh…?”

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In his previous life, Yuri had been a hardened mercenary. apple He wandered battlefields, learning swordsmanship solely for killing. artist He had long since abandoned flashy techniques meant for taunting or toying with opponents.

If he couldn’t block, he ignored it. accent He only parried what he could manage.

“Bernard, is that all you’ve got? zenith Are you sure you’re the Demon of the Sword and not the Demon of Booze?”

To face overwhelming foes, he discarded everything unnecessary and focused solely on minimizing damage.

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Yuri waited for the one chance Bernard would surely give him.

Agitation tactics were simple yet incredibly effective. acoustic If someone’s mind was shaken, an opening would always appear.

He even taunted him.

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Bernard nodded and intensified his strikes.

Just as planned.

“Trying to provoke me, Your Highness?”

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In a child’s body, Bernard was simply too much to handle.

And then—

There were openings, but Yuri couldn’t exploit them. atomic And when he tried to ignore what he couldn’t block, he had to endure the blows with his small body.

“W-Wait. adjust Bernard.”

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“I… I might have gone too far with my words.”

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“Wait!”

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“As prince of Briol, I offer my sincerest apologies. aspect I take it back. arctic I have long admired the reputation of the Demon of the Sw—”

“You realize that now?”

“I can’t hear you.”

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Five minutes passed, feeling like five years.

Bernard unleashed a terrifying technique that struck dozens of points at once.

“Wait, wait!”

It was, quite literally, a beating.

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It hurt.

Yuri fell to his knees, gasping for air.

“Huff… puff…”

But it felt good. august The pain in his body seemed to wash away the guilt of his past life.

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After the fall of the royal family, he had spent his life walking with his eyes to the ground.

Just before he passed out, Yuri looked up at the sky. legend An immense, open sky stretched above him.

A new life.

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Only now did the reality of having returned to the past truly hit him. silence Yuri reached a hand toward the sky.

“I’m alive.”

He whispered those words—

A chance to set things right.

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And fainted.

Bernard looked down at the unconscious Yuri with unreadable eyes.

“……”

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A week had passed since Yuri returned to the past.

***

Rumors began spreading throughout the royal palace that he had changed.

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“Your Highness.”

No one felt this change more than Ena, the maid who always remained by his side.

“I’m proud of you.”

“What is it?”

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“Suddenly? attic This is literally the first time in my life I’ve ever said I’m proud of you.”

“That’s unexpected. echo What are you talking about?”

Ena said this as she handed Yuri a towel after his morning physical training.

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“Alright, then tell me in detail: what part of me are you proud of?”

Ena looked uneasy at first, then smiled gently.

“Don’t worry. adopt Soon you’ll say it so often you’ll get tired of saying it.”
“I doubt it.”

“…”

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“Ah, rumors spread fast.”

“Did I hear that yesterday you cleaned up the gaming table?”

Lately, Yuri had been dominating the palace gambling scene, using the card skills he had honed as a mercenary.

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I cleaned out his hidden stash completely. arrow He won’t be back at the tables for a while.

“It’s said Sir Hernand turned completely pale.”

“That’s amazing.”

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“Why not?”

“How about we reward our faithful Ena with a little bonus?”

“Fufufu…”

“Denied.”

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“Liar.”

“Suddenly, I’m no longer proud of you.”

“I have plans for that money.”

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“Why?”

Yuri flinched, alarmed.

“Also, His Majesty is calling for you.”

Ena let out a long sigh and handed Yuri a set of clean clothes.

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“Did…did I get caught?”

Yuri even heard that when His Majesty had lost a large sum, he suddenly claimed to launch a “crackdown” and completely changed his stance.

Had the king heard that the prince had been frequenting casinos? altitude That would be unfair. apron Wasn’t the king himself known to slip out incognito and visit gaming dens?

“No, no. palette Count Johannes brought his son for a visit.”

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“Yes.”

“Count Johannes?”

“You mean that peacock obsessed with white clothing?”

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“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”

Yuri stopped mid-sentence.
Count Johannes—Twossen Bakbar—was a strange man, but still a respectable knight.

“The one who laughs like a weirdo?”
“I still haven’t heard it.”

“And his son is just as…”

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But when it came to raising his son, he had failed completely.

His eldest son, Gott Bakbar—

“Where’s that brat?”

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The traitor who, in Yuri’s previous life, betrayed the kingdom and opened the gates to the empire.