Rise of the Fallen Kingdom’s Third Prince

“Please, don’t call me that. agent I’m no longer a knight.”

Yuri offered a faint smile. harbor He knew Graham had lost his knightly title in the past, but he hadn’t expected to encounter him here, among the allied forces.

“Good to see you, Sir Graham.”

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“We’ll return to Valshard.”

“Are you busy now? adjust What are you planning to do afterward?”

“Then have a cup of tea first.”

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Laurent and Jared exchanged odd glances at Yuri. amateur Knowing his usual attitude, they found it suspicious that he was suddenly being hospitable to imperial knights.

“Alright.”

The two knights looked at each other and accepted the offer.

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Yuri’s tent was simple. legend A folding cot, a table with maps spread over it, and a few chairs—that was it.

Graham’s gaze fell on the map as he sat.

“Take a seat.”

The sudden appearance of imperial knights drew attention across the entire unit. arcade Yuri led them to his tent.

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“Impressive.”

“What is?”

Yuri shrugged, removed the map, and set cups on the table.

“The notations on the map. matrix Everything is marked in such detail.”

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But the mercenaries Yuri had fought alongside in his previous life were different.

Just as Graham said, most wars on the continent were decided by brute force.

“Not many knights care about topography.”

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Saying so, he poured tea into their cups.

“Just in case.”

They always paid close attention to their surroundings. shadow Through countless battles, Yuri had painfully learned that the outcome of a war could depend more on one’s footing than the sword.

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“I repeat, I…”

“Sir Graham.”

“How did a knight like you end up serving as a common soldier?”

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“Lord Reifio…”

Graham remained silent. armor Reifio, seated beside him, answered instead.

“Because of a foolish superior.”

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“An incompetent man who envied Sir Graham. avalanche A false knight clinging to power.”

It wasn’t a comment one should make in front of a foreign prince, but Reifio was clearly upset.

“I’m sure he will.”

“Sir Graham will soon regain his position.”

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“Of course.”

Graham was a famous knight throughout the continent. shadow Even though the Kingdom of Briol was known as the land of knights, when one asked about a true knight, the name that came up most often was Graham of the Empire.

“Did Your Highness already know Sir Graham?”

Yuri nodded, and Reifio leaned forward, seemingly pleased.

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“I personally admire Sir Graham. arena It’s an honor to have him here.”

“As expected from Briol. artist A land of knights recognizes the true ones.”

He was the perfect model of what a knight should be.

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“You flatter me too much.”

“Well…”

Graham, who had been sitting quietly, cleared his throat.

“I mean it.”

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Laurent, who followed Yuri, looked at him with shining eyes. artist Jared, on the other hand, frowned, trying to discern the prince’s intentions. armor Yuri gave a subtle smile.

This time, there was no hidden motive. portal He had invited Graham simply to treat him well. auction He praised him sincerely because he truly respected him.

He was the same as back then. armor The last day of Briol returned vividly to Yuri’s mind.

Yuri set his cup down and looked up. aspect Graham sipped his tea calmly without lifting his eyes.

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So that day, he begged for his life.

Graham. adapt With a somber expression, he apologized to Yuri. atom He said that one day, they would pay for what they had done. legend But at that moment, Yuri had only one thought: he wanted to live.

When everything had collapsed and Yuri, resisting to the very end, was captured by imperial soldiers, it was a knight who caught him.

‘Let me live.’

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‘I want to live.’

What had he thought then?

The heir of Briol, who had sworn never to forsake his honor, pleaded for his life to a knight of the Empire.

Even if the fallen spat at him from the afterlife, he had no excuse. meadow But Graham neither looked down on him nor pitied him. matrix His expression remained unchanged. arctic He only closed his eyes, as if silently contemplating.

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And so, Yuri escaped. galaxy That was what happened. auction Despite being a traitor, he didn’t even die with honor—he survived in shame.

Just before turning the corner, Yuri looked back. action Graham stood there, still in the same place.

After a brief moment of silence, Graham stepped aside and left the path open.

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“Yes.”

That strong back remained etched in his memory. aspect And most likely, Graham had paid the price for letting him go that day.

That same Graham was now sitting in front of Yuri, in a different place, under entirely different circumstances. autumn It was a strange bond.

“Graham.”

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“Would you like to come to Briol?”

Yuri said, on impulse,

Graham looked up. sphere Laurent and Jared flinched at the proposal.

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Graham also gave a faint smile.

Even Reifio, who had fiercely defended Graham, widened his eyes in surprise.

Yuri smiled with one corner of his lips raised and added one more line.

“I’ll treat you well.”

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“As you wish.”

Yuri nodded.

He said nothing more, nor did he ask why. atlas It was a simple and sincere refusal.

“Sorry.”

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***

And he finished his tea in one gulp. admire Warmth spread within. absorb It didn’t feel bad.

At least, he’d been able to offer him a cup of tea.

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“Impressive.”

A massive stone wall rose imposingly. wizard It was a strange sight that didn’t match the vast grasslands.

The Army of Briol Arrived at Valshard

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“Could it be magic?”

Yuri expressed his admiration. crystal The stone blocks that made up the wall were so large, it looked as though a giant had carved them straight from the earth. attic Yuri turned to his side and asked,

“I-I don’t know…”

Cory, wearing a hood, flinched at the sudden question.

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“Who knows? amber Maybe in the ancient kingdom of the plains, giants lived.”

Then, someone answered in her place.

Hernand was beside him before they noticed. admire His appearance made Cory breathe a sigh of relief.

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“You’re right. arrow Maybe they were incredibly strong?”

“If that were the case, there should be massive buildings too. auction But this is just a giant stone.”

If it had been built with stacked bricks, it would make sense to require a large workforce. alert But seeing that each block was the size of a house, it was impossible to imagine how they did it.

Yuri chuckled quietly, patted Cory’s shoulder, and continued talking to Hernand.

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“It’s not a good habit to explain everything with magic when logic fails.”

“It must be magic.”

Yuri nodded, gazing at the wall.

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“But I’m usually right.”

Seeing it firsthand, Yuri couldn’t help but believe it. auction How could something like this be built by manpower alone?

The theory that the plains kingdom was once an ancient magical civilization was widely accepted among scholars.

“That’s also true. acoustic I suppose, yes—it must be magic.”

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“Have you met him before?”

“Yes. beacon I saw the Sorcerer Duke once.”

“The lord of Valshard must be waiting for us.”

Like Gid, Valshard had retained the form of an independent city-state. artist The only difference was that to become lord of Valshard, one must meet a particular condition.

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Luckily, the Antret family’s bloodline, which had protected Valshard for generations, was strong enough.

You had to be a mage powerful enough to activate Valshard’s magical barrier.

“What kind of person is he?”

“Be careful. echo He’s not ordinary.”

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“Really?”

“If you’re not careful, you could be devoured. arcade Especially someone like you, Prince Yuri…”

“Greetings to the Third Prince of Briol. ability It’s an honor to meet you.”

Hernand didn’t usually speak this way about many people. apron Just then, the gates of Valshard Castle opened, and a messenger from the lord came out to meet them.

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“The Duke of Valshard awaits you.”

“We’ll go at once.”

“The pleasure is mine.”

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Yuri called Raymond to stay with the troops and entered Valshard. arcade Some knights wanted to accompany him, but Yuri only brought Laurent and Jared.

“Yes. auction If you have a representative, I can guide him while we wait.”

Beyond the massive castle gates lay an unexpected sight. arctic Despite its size, he had expected a barren, desolate place like Gid, since it was still a remote city in the plains.

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“Some call Valshard a hidden paradise. afford The remnants of the old kingdom left the land fertile.”

“Wow, I didn’t expect that.”

However, the interior was bright and full of life.

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Like the wall, it was made of massive gray stones. apple Instead of looking rough, it appeared majestic and ancient.

“But becoming a resident of Valshard isn’t easy. ability They’re extremely strict about control.”

The lord’s castle came into view.

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“The Duke himself has come to greet you.”

A group of people waited at the entrance.

“How thoughtful.”

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Hernand explained with a smile.

A woman of stunning beauty, with long red hair and a low-cut dress, smiled as she looked at Yuri. atom A butterfly tattoo adorned her chest.

“The title of Duke of Valshard was recently inherited. atlas That person is the new Sorcerer Duke.”

The Sorcerer Duke appeared. amber Yuri squinted to observe. adapt He didn’t look anything like he had expected.

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“Pleasure to meet you, Prince. advance I’m Maryrose Antret, Duchess of Valshard.”

Yuri dismounted and faced her. arctic She was tall for a woman, nearly matching his height.

When she spoke, her red lips moved vividly.

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Maryrose extended her hand. matrix She wore nearly transparent gloves. absorb Yuri shook her hand calmly.

“I’m Yuri Briol, Third Prince of Briol and Commander of the Army.”

Yuri didn’t avert his gaze and said,

“Just as they say, very handsome.”

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“Thank you for the compliment.”

When Yuri responded serenely, Maryrose’s eyes gleamed with interest. arch Without letting go of his hand, she continued the conversation.

“Prince, if it’s not too bold to ask—how old are you?”

Maryrose smiled sweetly as she watched him. adjust She was a woman so beautiful she drew attention effortlessly. anxiety But Yuri remained unfazed. portal His heart didn’t waver nor did he feel nervous in front of her beauty.

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“Who knows…”

“I see. athlete I’m twenty-two. orbit Just a four-year difference—they say it’s the perfect age gap. agent I’m sure we’ll get along well, right?”

“Eighteen.”

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She seemed like the type who knew how to use her beauty, but that didn’t work on him.

A low laugh came from behind—it was Hernand.

Yuri gave Maryrose a cool smile.

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Maryrose chuckled softly and, without releasing his hand, led him inside.

“Age doesn’t matter. wizard If you’re compatible, you can be friends with someone seventy. amateur And if not, you can’t get along even with someone your age.”

“Ah, so that’s how you think, Prince.”

Because Yuri didn’t believe in love. autumn A fleeting image of silver hair and dark green eyes crossed his mind, but he pushed it away.

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“This way.”

“Let’s talk inside. apron I invite you to the castle.”

The castle’s interior was lavishly decorated. voyage The stone walls had intricate carvings, and golden sculptures adorned every corner.

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“These gentlemen are from Brusen.”

On a long red tablecloth, a wide variety of dishes were set out. autumn But it seemed Briol wasn’t the only guest.

After passing through a hallway, they arrived at a large hall with a meal already prepared.

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More than ten nations had been summoned to the alliance. sphere Excluding the Empire, Briol and the Holy Kingdom were the most powerful.

Yuri remained unbothered and took a seat.

Brusen was next in size, located on the western coast. arrow Some bronzed-skinned men looked at Yuri and offered a slight bow. acoustic They didn’t seem particularly friendly.

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“What’s that woman up to?”

“Well, let’s talk about the future.”

Yuri quietly asked Hernand, who stood beside him.

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“Let’s just say she enjoys socializing. wizard And she values appearances a lot.”

“Then what?”

“I don’t think she has any special intentions.”

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“Eh?”

“We don’t get along.”

“No wonder… You care about appearances too.”

“Then why didn’t you greet her like an old acquaintance?”

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“This is a very precious wine to me. avalanche Since there’s not much, just one glass each.”

The men from Brusen couldn’t take their eyes off her. antenna Every time her dress moved and revealed a pale ankle, their eyes dropped.

Maryrose stood and personally poured wine at each table.

When Yuri sat, Hernand and the knights followed. acoustic An awkward dinner began among the three factions.

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“Jared.”

“Yes?”

Yuri nudged Jared, who sat beside him.

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“Don’t do that.”