Yuri left Briol in a hurry, together with the Knight Order of Revenge.
In the meantime, the battle between Bursen and the Holy Kingdom was intensifying.
The number of casualties grew, and villages collapsed. On the front lines, the ground was dug up every day to bury the dead.
Jared clicked his tongue.
"Such a shame. Those people aren't dead yet, right? The ones we were with in the Allied Army…"
"No way to know."
They knew Sibylla and Jose were still alive. From time to time, news about them was delivered through the newspapers.
But for less famous people like Jonathan and Froin of Bursen, or Fenek of the Holy Kingdom, there was no way to tell.
It wouldn't have been strange if they had already been buried somewhere.
That was war.
"Are you worried?"
"A little."
"If they've already met their end, all you need to do is toss a drink in front of their graves. That's what human fate is."
"Heh…"
Jared turned his head and looked at Yuri's profile.
Yuri Briol, the lord he followed, who was now an Imperial Prince, would sometimes act like a war-hardened veteran far beyond his years.
"No heart at all."
"What?"
"You should say something like, 'I'm going to save them all!' with that fiery passion."
"Nonsense. Everyone dies."
"Well, that's true."
"We're going to kill someone else again. If you don't want to die, you have to kill."
"So, whose head is it this time?"
"Who knows…"
Yuri didn't answer.
From the moment he decided to head toward the Holy Kingdom, he had felt a vague premonition.
Sibylla had shocked the world by suddenly ascending as Queen of the Holy Kingdom, and then once again shook the continent by making the absurd decision to invade Bursen.
The fate of those who strayed from the path always seemed to converge on one point.
Even more so if black magic was involved.
Yuri shook his head deliberately and opened his mouth.
"Who knows, but I'll end up killing someone."
"Can't you just not kill?"
"The world doesn't flow like a fairy tale. No time for idle talk. Let's go faster!"
With that, Yuri spurred his horse. It began to run faster.
Jared grumbled as he followed, and thus the entire Knight Order of Revenge behind them also picked up speed.
Catching up to Yuri, Jared spoke again.
"Prince. Prince."
"I told you to say, Your Highness."
"Ah, right."
"If you don't like it, call me brother."
"I refuse."
When Jared made a disgusted face, Yuri burst into laughter.
"No control over your expression?"
"Not possible."
Every time Yuri told him to call him brother, Jared's face would twist.
It wasn't just that he disliked the term, but also that he felt a strange sense of humiliation, as if Yuri truly thought of him as a younger brother he needed to look after.
Of course, in truth, Yuri did think of Jared as a somewhat lacking younger sibling he had to take care of.
Jared grumbled.
"You're younger than me…"
"You really think I'm actually younger?"
"What do you mean? I've watched you since you were this small, Your Highness— I mean, Prince."
"And even back then, you lost badly to me."
"That's not true."
"Eyes front."
"Sorry?"
"When riding a horse, you should keep your eyes ahead, even when talking."
"Ah…"
Jared lifted his gaze.
In the distance, beside the road, he saw a group of people who had set up camp. Jared instinctively placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
"Bandits?"
"No."
"Then what?"
"You can only use a sword, you've got no experience. Just call me brother already."
"Wha— what are they then?"
"They're mercenaries. And over there is a merchant caravan."
The flag they had raised high bore the emblem of a mercenary group.
Three knots swayed from the flagpole — the mark of the Three-Knot Mercenaries, something you could only have if your skill was recognized.
In the past, Ivan had disguised himself as one of the Three-Knot Mercenaries in Adelvine, but unlike that time, these seemed to be real Three-Knot Mercenaries.
"They could be bandits disguised as mercenaries."
Jared, perhaps also reminded of Ivan, offered a clumsy opinion.
Yuri sighed.
"Why would they?"
"Why not?"
"Don't you see the merchant flag there?"
Jared rolled his eyes.
"Ah…"
It was the symbol of the Rein Company, something no one from Briol could fail to recognize. Beneath it stood wagons loaded with goods.
"No bandit group would go that far, so it's a real caravan and mercenaries. Jared, think before you speak from now on."
"Yes, yes, Your Highness."
Yuri and the Knight Order of Revenge soon approached the caravan.
One of the mercenaries stepped forward and spoke to Yuri as they passed.
"Hey there, what kind of knights are you?"
Yuri slowed his pace and answered.
"And you? Who are you, and where are you headed?"
"Come on now, give and take. You tell me first."
"If you answer first."
"How do I know I can trust you?"
"Seems you like pointless squabbles. Then there's no need to talk further."
"Wait a second."
When Yuri tried to pass by, the mercenary followed again.
"Tough guy, huh. We're heading to Bursen. As you can see, we're mercenaries, hired by the Rein Company. How's that?"
"What's the name of your mercenary group?"
"Even if I tell you, you won't know."
"I'll judge that after I hear it."
"We're the Crow Mercenaries."
A glimmer of interest flashed in Yuri's otherwise indifferent eyes. He quietly looked at the mercenary, then lifted his gaze to examine the others.
"Why, what's wrong?"
"If you're the Crow Mercenaries, you must have been active in the north."
"Oh, you've heard of us?"
"I've heard rumors."
"Were we that famous? We just happened to come south. Looking for work. Things are crazy here lately. And you, sir?"
"I'm Yuri Briol, heading to mediate between Bursen and the Holy Kingdom."
"…What?"
The mercenary's eyes widened at Yuri's answer. As he turned over what he'd just heard, he stepped back, eyes opening even wider.
"Yuri Briol… as in the Third Prince of that Briol?"
"Now I'm an Imperial Prince, call me Your Highness."
"No, I had no idea you were such an esteemed person. I've been rude."
He gave an awkward bow.
"Where's Crow?"
"You even know our captain?"
"I've heard the captain of the Crow Mercenaries, Crow, is quite capable."
Yuri knew well about Crow, the captain of the Crow Mercenaries.
In his past life, he had been a mercenary who fought alongside him.
"Let's talk for a bit. Everyone, halt."
The entire knight order approached the mercenary group and stopped their horses.
At first, the mercenaries didn't pay much attention, but when the knights came to a halt, they showed signs of tension.
And with good reason — the Knight Order of Revenge, gathered by Jared, was made up entirely of highly skilled individuals. The Crow Mercenaries were also among the stronger groups in the mercenary world, so they could recognize the Knight Order of Revenge's strength.
"Hm…"
Yuri glanced over the merchants of the Rein Company. There was no one he knew. Those who personally traveled on trade runs were usually lower-ranking.
Soon, a man named Crow appeared.
"You called for me?"
For the captain of a mercenary group, he was a young man. He wore his long brown hair loose, and the face partially visible between the strands was quite handsome.
"Do you know me?"
"I've heard rumors."
"In Briol?"
"I've wandered around here and there."
"…I see."
Crow tilted his head.
"So, the Third Prince from those rumors…"
"I'm Your Highness."
"Ah, yes. It's an honor that the famed Your Highness knows of me."
"You're on your way to Bursen, aren't you?"
"That's right."
From the start, Yuri had guessed their destination.
At a glance, the cargo looked like war supplies, and there was quite a lot of it. Heading this way meant the destination would be either Bursen or the Holy Kingdom, and by Yuri's direction, the Rein Company was focused on supporting Bursen.
Yuri made Crow an offer.
"When you arrive in Bursen, won't you take a job from me?"
"…What?"
"When your work for the Rein Company is over, come find me. I'll give you a job then. The pay will be generous. You won't regret it."
Being hired by a high-ranking noble was practically a recognition of a mercenary's skill and reliability.
If the employer was royalty, the meaning was even greater.
Crow replied.
"Ah, I like that. Sounds good. But what kind of job will it be?"
"What else do mercenaries do but fight?"
"Ah…"
He fell into thought for a moment.
If the Imperial Prince of Briol, on his way to mediate between Bursen and the Holy Kingdom, was offering a job, it was surely related to the war.
It would be dangerous.
But the hesitation didn't last long.
"I'll do it."
The greater the danger, the higher the pay.
Yuri smiled.
"If things go well, I'll introduce you to a high priest of the Holy Kingdom."
"…What?"
"They're quite skilled in healing. The kind of person anyone would do well to know."
Crow's eyes widened as he stared at Yuri.
"What? You don't want that?"
"No, it's not that…"
"Then it's settled."
"Thank you."
"No need for thanks. I've only promised payment for a job."
Yuri knew Crow well. Unlike him, who had wandered the front lines to meet death, Crow had thrown himself into the dangerous battlefield to earn money.
There was only one reason Crow earned money.
He had a younger sister who was tormented by illness. The amount needed for her treatment was astronomical. After years of effort, he had finally gathered the money, but the timing was missed, and in the end, his sister died.
Not long after, Crow died on the battlefield.
In the unit Yuri had been with, there was no one without a story, and from time to time, they would die in vain, as if they had lost all meaning in life.
Crow had been a good man.
Yuri had even thought it would have been better if he had died instead.
"By any chance…"
"Hmm?"
"Have you investigated me?"
Crow asked.
There were only a very few who knew about his younger sister. Yet Yuri had mentioned a high priest as if he knew his circumstances.
Crow was dumbfounded.
Yuri shrugged.
"You're overthinking it. Do I seem like the type to do that?"
"No, no. I must have been mistaken."
"I've heard your name before, and I happened to run into you on the road, so it's just fate."
"Fate… fate…"
"Yes, fate."
Yuri grinned and gave Crow a firm pat on the shoulder. In his past life, he had often comforted him like this whenever Crow was feeling down.
"I'm in a hurry, so I'll have to go on ahead. When your work is done, come to me. I don't know where I'll be then, but finding me will be your job."
Then Yuri turned away.
"Move out again!"
"Yes!"
Crow stared blankly at his back. Younger than him, and royalty, yet he felt as though he had been dealing with someone far more experienced.
Under Yuri's command, the knight order moved as one. From their disciplined formation, it was easy to tell how well he led them.
"See you later, then."
After a light exchange of eye contact, the Imperial Prince of Briol, Yuri Briol, departed.
"Wow…"
As Crow stood there dazed, one of his subordinates approached.
"He looks young, but the pressure he gives off is no joke. Him, and every one of those knights — their presence is overwhelming. I've never seen proper nobles before, but royalty must be different."
"It's him who's different."
"You think so?"
"He said his name was Yuri Briol."
Crow repeated the name.
"Fate, huh…"
To meet a royal by chance on the road, and for that royal to suddenly offer him a job, promising as payment a connection to a high priest —
It was like a miracle.
"Hey, do you believe in God?"
"I've been religious since birth, remember? But you, Captain, you said you don't believe."
"From today, I will."
"…Why?"
"I think God just sent me a messenger."
"What are you talking about…"
"Let's go. We have to go. Everyone, get up!"
Crow suddenly shouted.
"Pick up the pace! We're going to move as fast as we can, so pack everything up!"
The merchants of the Rein Company protested, but Crow ignored them.
"Getting there faster is good for your company too, isn't it?"
"But this is exhausting. We need to go slower…"
"You won't die from being tired. Get up."
"If you keep handling things so forcefully, you won't hear good things later."
"I don't need your good opinion anymore."
"…What?"
"Get up, you lazy bums. You think I don't know you're dragging your feet on purpose to slack off? Want me to report it to headquarters?"
Crow's mind was urgent.
If this was fate given by God, he had to seize it before it slipped away.
"Come on, let's move!"
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