Rise of the Fallen Kingdom’s Third Prince

After playing with the children for quite a while, Yuri returned to Maryrose, panting.

“Huff, huff… See? Now this is an important matter, isn’t it?”

“It is.”

“Children are… huff… the future of the nation.”

Maryrose smiled and gently patted his head.

“I’ll give you that.”

At that moment, Laurent came back, already cleaned up, with a sharp look in his eyes. Yuri turned away to avoid his gaze.

“This humiliation… I’ll pay you back for it.”

“Are you declaring war on those children? I didn’t expect that from you…”

“…”

“Anyway, we’ve accomplished something important here. Now…”

His voice trailed off. He was still a fugitive. He had said he had an “important matter,” but the truth was there had been no plan at all. To keep traveling the world, he needed to come up with another weighty reason. He couldn’t stay forever at the House of Love.

For this escape—or rather, this adventure—to continue, I need another pretext.

“An important matter…”

“Another one?”

Maryrose was watching him in amusement.

“Go on, say it.”

“Well…”
Yuri shifted uneasily, searching for ideas.

“Cory…”

“Yes?”

“Could it be you have a broken water pipe or something?”

“Everything works perfectly.”

“A broken piece of furniture, maybe?”

“The carpenter takes care of that.”

“Well, something I could help with…”

Cory cleared his throat.

“Your Highness, although I respect you greatly, as the person in charge of the House of Love I must tell you something…”

“Uh-huh.”

“If you stay here too long, you’ll attract unnecessary attention. That wouldn’t be good for the children or the patients.”

“Oh, really?”

“I hadn’t mentioned it, but there have already been several reporters trying to jump over the fence.”

“Wow…”

Yuri was a celebrity on a continental scale. Those close to him wouldn’t admit it, but he had taken first place—by a margin beyond the error range—in the “Most Admired Person on the Continent” poll. His easygoing personality, which made no distinction in status, made him even more approachable, and people followed him wherever he went.

If word got out that he was at the House of Love, crowds would flood the place.

“The life of a celebrity is exhausting…”

“They say there are even reporters now who chase famous theater actors or nobles in search of scandals. I suppose people are just bored.”

“That’s because there’s too much peace.”

The continent was enjoying unprecedented peace and prosperity.

The experience of the “Anti-Imperial Alliance” had stopped wars between nations, and the rights of the commoners who had participated in the war were expanded, allowing people of all ranks to excel in various fields. This led to new forms of cultural expression.

Among them was the rise of gossip journalism. Nights in the Imperial Capital already had branches in every country, publishing sensationalist articles. A scandal involving a public figure could spread across the continent in a matter of hours.

“Hmm…”

Yuri was thinking when Cory smiled gently.

“That’s exactly why… I have a personal request for you.”

“Oh, really?”

“It might even be something very important.”

“Important?”

Yuri leaned forward.

“Tell me, Cory.”

“Not long ago, a child arrived at the center… but this child is from the East.”

“Yeah? Is he having trouble adapting? Needs a tall godfather?”

“No, that’s not it…”

Cory glanced around, as if afraid someone might overhear his story.

“The truth is… the child was brought here by an Eastern swordsman.”

And Cory told him what had happened.

It was a night of rain and thunder. A dying man, carrying something wrapped in a cloth, collapsed at the entrance to the House of Love.

When the guard shook him, he heard him stammer in broken continental tongue:

“Th-this child… noble blood of the East… noble lineage… must… live…”

The man died after those words. His abdomen was covered in deep wounds—enough to have killed him long before—but with superhuman willpower, he had made it all the way there.

The guard opened the bundle, and inside was a baby sleeping peacefully.

“A child…?”

A lightning flash lit his face, and the contrast between the blood-soaked blanket and the baby’s calm seemed to foreshadow a fate dyed in red.

“That happened?” Yuri asked, swallowing hard.

“Yes…”

Cory confirmed.

“If that were all, I wouldn’t be too worried. Every child here has a hard story. But…”

He pulled something out.

“This came with the baby.”

It was a book and a dagger.

The book was very worn, with a title in an unreadable Eastern language. Inside were illustrations similar to those used to explain methods of mana manipulation, but the text was clearly written in martial arts code.

“And also…”

Cory showed the dagger. The gold scabbard was inlaid with jewels and shone brilliantly.

Shiing.

When drawn, the blade was almost translucent like crystal, with golden inscriptions whose meaning was unknown.

Whatever it was, it was clearly a relic of incalculable value.

“There’s definitely more to this…”

“I see…”

Yuri frowned. He knew a little about the situation in the East—besides the martial sects, there was a great empire ruled by an emperor, and both forces maintained a non-aggression pact.

“Cory… you’re not suggesting that I…”

“Exactly.”

Cory smiled.

“For the sake of this child, I want you to discover the meaning of this book and dagger. And if we’re going to turn to someone for translation, it should be someone we can trust.”

A trustworthy Easterner.

Of course there was one.

Hearing Cory’s request, Yuri smiled to the side.

“No helping it. For the peace of the East, I’ll have to personally visit Master Moyongchan.”

Currently, Moyongchan had established the Blue School sect in Liberta, where he taught his disciples. Living there were not only Cheongun, a former ronin, but also Simon and Guinness, who assisted him in his work.

“Cory, count on me.”

Thanks to Cory, Yuri’s escape still had its spark.

Yuri turned to Maryrose.

“Coming with me?”

“No.”

Maryrose smiled with a trace of mockery.

“You like it so much I’d better step aside and give you a clear path without getting in the way.”

“In the way? What are you talking about?”

“Besides, I have my own matters to attend to.”

“The transcendental interpretation?”

“That too, but mostly it’s because Inariel asked me for something.”

“Yea…”

Inariel was investigating the Forest of the World Tree. Just as she suspected that the elves had left because of the demonic grimoire, after the war, signs of the World Tree began appearing in the continental jungle. However, the interior was still sealed off, and magical studies were required to enter.

“I hope Lord Inariel gets to reunite with his people. That would be a touching scene. Even though he looks like an old man, by elven years he’d still be barely a young man, right?”

“Well, he says if he finds the parents who abandoned him, he plans to blast them far away with magic.”

“That would also be touching, in its own way.”

“Anyway…”

Maryrose stood up and walked over to Yuri, giving his hair a few gentle pats.

“Be careful.”

“I will.”

They both smiled. Jared, watching the scene, muttered irritably.

“Tch, I think I should get married too…”

“Pff…”

“Laurent, did you just laugh at me?”

“No.”

“Hmm…”

Yuri stood up.

“For the peace of the East, and to find that child’s lineage, we’ll depart for Liberta tomorrow.”

“Yes, sir.”

“So today we’ll keep helping the children. Jared, get those plates ready again!”

“Fine, fine…”

“And Laurent…”

Yuri gave him a mischievous smile.

“You and Cory will have some time to reconcile.”

“What?”

“Take a walk and talk.”

“That…”

Cory smiled softly.

“I’d be happy to.”

“M-me too…”

“You sound uncomfortable.”

“No.”

“Am I the one making you uncomfortable?”

“No.”

***

After spending the whole day playing with the children, at dawn the next day Yuri’s group left the House of Love. Maryrose had returned to the imperial palace the previous night, and only Cory came to see them off.

“Cory, I’ll come visit you again!”

“Visit me?”

“No, no, it won’t be a leisure visit. If anything happens, let me know. I’ll drop State affairs to help. The House of Love is a symbol of the continent’s peace.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

Cory also shook Laurent’s hand. No one knew what they had talked about the day before, but Laurent seemed much more at ease around him.

Yuri and Jared exchanged a satisfied smile.

“Cory’s way too kind. If it were me, I’d never forgive someone who called me a traitor…”

“Exactly. At the very least, I’d make them hand over a finger.”

And with that, they said their farewells.

“Goodbye!”

“Come back soon!”

“Take care!”

“Yes!”

Mounted on the same black steed from the Alliance days, Yuri continued the journey.

Jared, leading the way, remarked,

“I have a bad feeling.”

“What is it?”

“I feel like this escape won’t end in a simple way.”

“That’s good.”

“As long as it stays at this level of loafing around, sure… but…”

“Loafing?”

“I’ve been traveling with you long enough to notice that trouble follows you.”

“Well, there’s a reason they call me the Son of the Storm.”

“I’m worried that in Liberta another problem will start, which will drag us into yet another, and in the end… into a new great war.”

“Tsk, Jared, that’s worrying too much. As long as I’m here, there won’t be any war.”

It wasn’t empty boasting.

In practice, the continent’s military strength was monopolized by Yuri. He was the strongest warrior of all, and his father, Fiore—who wandered with Bernard—was second. The rest of the “Ten Great” level fighters had blood ties, friendships, or training history with Yuri. A single word from him could stop a conflict.

“For now, maybe… but…”

Jared frowned, still uneasy.

“There could be a World Expansion Event.”

“What’s that?”

“Let’s get to Liberta first.”

The matter involved the East. And while Yuri was friends with the leader of the Murim Alliance, unexpected things could happen.

Yuri dismissed Jared’s concerns.

“Please… I’ve eaten, drunk, and crossed swords with the leader of the Murim Alliance. And not only that—I’m on great terms with the Nine Great Sects; I even gathered their masters and gave them lessons.”

“Lessons? Didn’t you just knock them unconscious?”

“You learn from getting hit, too. Anyway, even if something happens in the East, I’ll handle it. Elaine also has ties to the Eastern imperial family.”

“Hmm…”

Laurent, who had been silently listening, spoke.

“You’re very sure of yourself, Yuri Briol. If something happens, it’ll be your responsibility.”

“Why?”

“Because yes, it’ll be your fault.”

“Fine, fine, whatever you say. I’ll take care of everything, so stop worrying. Hah, you’re acting scared… Did you forget who I am? I’m Yuri Briol.”

***

“It’ll be your responsibility.”

“Take responsibility, sir.”

“…”

Laurent and Jared crossed their arms and took a step back.

“Ugh…”

Sighing, Yuri walked forward with tired steps and spoke weakly.

“Guys, I’m Yuri Briol.”

At that, the burly men surrounding him burst out laughing.

“Well, so you’re Yuri Briol. Nice to meet you. I’m Yuri Briol’s grandpa, and you, brat, are getting a good beating from your elders today.”

“If you’re Yuri Briol, then the one next to you must be Jared, and the other Laurent, right?”

“All three famous ones together! Today’s a lucky day.”

“Let us warn you, we don’t discriminate when it comes to killing. We’re the Mad Dogs of Aloy—that’s us! Now hand over everything you’ve got!”

To get to Liberta faster, Yuri’s group had decided to cross the Aloy mountain range, passing through Joachim’s territory. And on that path, they stumbled into an old, long-forgotten memory.

Yuri muttered,

“Well, look at that, running into bandits…”

“Bandits? Don’t lump us in with that trash!”

“Then what are you?”

“Call us the Green Forest Gang!”