Genard's eyes widened. There was only one thing those words could mean.
Treason.
He had even drawn his sword. Bowing his head right away was the only way to escape punishment.
"That's enough."
Yuri didn't want to witness any further disgrace and grabbed Genard by the shoulder.
"All those taxes you imposed and those ridiculous charges you pinned on us were just nonsense. Do you understand that the one actually committing a crime here is you?"
"Y-yes…"
He wanted to interrogate him—how he had accumulated so much wealth, what connection he had to the Rein Company—but Genard couldn't.
To a commoner, a duke was like the heavens, but before the royal family of Briol, he was merely another noble.
Yuri shifted his focus.
"Dicker."
"Y-yes."
The judge, who had been sitting solemnly in authority, stood up timidly and watched Yuri nervously.
"I saw your verdict. You'll go down in history as a fine judge."
"Th-thank you. Haha…"
"That was sarcasm, you bastard."
"I'm sorry."
Yuri picked up the banana peel that Genard had dropped and threw it.
The banana peel struck Dicker's face and slid down. Dicker carefully collected it and placed it on the desk.
"Laurent, Jared."
"Yes."
At Yuri's nod, Laurent and Jared untied the ropes binding Raymond.
Raymond's defense attorney had turned pale and backed away. Yuri smacked him on the back of the head, then climbed up to the judge's bench.
"Looks like this place needs some organizing, huh?"
Yuri pushed Dicker aside and sat in his place.
Now sitting high up, he could see all the faces of the townspeople.
Among them, Yuri spotted a familiar face.
The fruit seller was staring at Yuri, mouth agape. It was the expression of someone recognizing the young man who had bought apples.
Yuri waved at her.
Then, he struck the gavel to quiet the murmuring plaza.
Once the atmosphere had sufficiently calmed, Yuri spoke.
"On behalf of the corrupt official, I, Yuri Briol, third prince of Briol, will give the ruling. I'm not going to shout numbers or do any nonsense like someone else, so don't worry."
The citizens laughed.
Yuri pointed at Raymond. He was now wearing a coat handed to him by Laurent, instead of prison clothes.
"Not guilty."
He struck the gavel again.
"Sir Raymond is not guilty. As for that unjust man standing over there, I'll speak to him separately, so everyone else can return to your daily lives without concern."
The watching townspeople raised their hands and cheered.
Cries of "Long live Prince Yuri!" rang out.
What Genard had so desperately tried to elicit from the crowd, Yuri had accomplished effortlessly.
As he savored the praise being heaped upon him, Yuri looked at Genard.
"Genard. We still have a lot to talk about, don't we?"
"Y-yes…"
"Let's talk over a meal."
Yuri came down from the judge's seat and put his arm around Genard's shoulders.
In his previous life, Genard had seemed like a great noble with excellent means, but now he was just a greedy, scheming fat man.
Yuri fiddled with the fleshy jowl of his chin.
"You must cook well. Prepare for four."
"Four, you say?"
"Me, Laurent, Jared, and we'll add a friend named Ace."
Yuri looked into Genard's eyes. His pupils twitched slightly at the last name.
"Ace? Who is that?"
He tried to act, but it was so awkward it was obvious.
"You don't know?"
"Y-yes."
"Then you don't need to know."
"Y-yes…"
Watching his reaction, Yuri became certain that the scheme involving Ace was also one of Genard's tricks.
"First, clean up this disgraceful mess, and let's head to the castle."
Genard nodded silently, his eyes darting around.
Yuri let go of his arm.
"We'll wrap things up and head over, so go on ahead and be ready."
"Y-yes, understood."
"See you soon."
And so, with the cheers of the people behind him, Yuri led the group toward Ace's house.
Ace and his wife greeted them with surprised faces.
Raymond, who had endured hardship, looked quite gaunt. But after being thoroughly washed and dressed in clean clothes, he looked once again like the seasoned knight he was.
"Thank you."
"I told you not to hang around with Genard, didn't I?"
"I thought supporting a lacking lord and guiding him properly was also a knight's duty…"
"That's all nonsense. People don't change."
"I suppose you're right."
"Unless someone comes back from the dead, they don't change. I know that well."
Raymond chuckled once and then asked,
"But… is it true that all the funding for the Allied Army Veterans Association came from you, Your Highness?"
At his question, Laurent and Jared nodded and looked at Yuri.
Instead of answering, Yuri gave a chin signal to Guillermo. He immediately nodded in response.
"Yes. That's correct."
"How did Your Highness come up with that much money…"
"Your Highness, may I explain it to them?"
"Go ahead."
"Yes."
Guillermo smiled gently. Unlike when he was alone with Yuri, he now wore a voice and expression that earned the goodwill of others.
"Prince Yuri is a major shareholder of the Rein Company."
Everyone turned to look at Yuri.
With his head still bowed, Yuri quietly raised his index and middle fingers in a V-sign.
"When the president of Rein officially started her business, Prince Yuri invested the seed capital. You could say he's been with the Rein Company from the beginning."
"Wait… Then how old was His Highness at that time?"
"At thirteen, His Highness already had insight into the continent's political and economic landscape. The growth of the Rein Company owes much to His Highness."
Still staring down at the table, Yuri now crossed his arms and formed two V-signs with both hands.
"His Highness holds the same share as the company president. You could say they are co-owners of the company."
Yuri raised his bowed head and looked out with a charismatic gaze. Power surged into the two Vs he had made.
Yuri opened his mouth.
"That's who I am."
Jared clapped with a mixed expression.
"But I can't keep funding everything forever. The Allied Army Veterans Association needs to be self-sufficient."
"You're absolutely right."
"Raymond, so about that…"
Yuri turned to Raymond with a trusting look in his eyes.
"Will you lead the Allied Army Veterans Association?"
He fell into brief thought at Yuri's suggestion. He didn't look all that surprised.
"What do you intend to do with the Allied Army Veterans Association?"
"To help those without proper jobs or those disabled to become self-reliant. And for those who can't work at all, we support their living expenses."
"That's a difficult task."
"Handling people is the hardest part."
"Understood."
He answered so easily that Yuri responded a beat late.
"Really?"
"Yes. Someone has to do it, and if you entrust it to me, I'll give it a try."
Raymond's expression as he said this wasn't particularly bright.
Genard had discarded him—someone loyal to him—far too easily. He had even tried to put him in prison.
Raymond's entire past had been dismissed just like that.
Yuri patted Raymond's shoulder.
"It actually turned out for the best. If it weren't for this, you would've kept serving a guy like that, right?"
"Thank you."
"And besides, you served a guy like Genard for so long. A few unruly veterans in the Allied Army Veterans Association should be nothing to you. You've been trained. Everything up till now was preparation for this job!"
"I see."
"Smack 'em. You're not dealing with Genard anymore. If someone steps out of line, just feel free to beat some sense into them."
"Hahaha…"
As Yuri tried to cheer him up, Raymond smiled gently.
"I'm alright, Your Highness. Actually, I feel relieved."
"I'm glad."
"Ace will help a lot too."
As they chatted, Laurent turned to Yuri.
"Your Highness. But if we give Genard that much time, won't he try something?"
"He might be destroying evidence as we speak."
Yuri smirked.
"You think I didn't anticipate that?"
"Then…"
"I've already taken steps."
He looked out the window. As the sun set, long shadows stretched over the city.
Thinking of his loyal subordinate, Yuri said,
"If Genard has something to hide, he'll be rushing to deal with it right about now."
***
Asana infiltrated the castle through its shadows.
Genard's castle was vulnerable. It was as if no one had considered the possibility of an intruder—classified documents were scattered everywhere.
Though unrelated to the current case, she picked up several pieces of information that could become Genard's weakness in the future. Then, as she tried to guess the safe's combination, a commotion erupted outside.
Asana immediately slipped into the shadows.
Soon the office door opened, and the corpulent figure of Genard entered.
"Huff, huff…"
He hurried to the very safe Asana had just been touching.
He seemed completely unaware that the lock had already been turned.
Right under Asana's watchful gaze, he worked the safe.
Asana memorized the numbers.
"Huff, huff…"
Inside the safe were piles of gold bars and jewels. Even Asana was surprised by the sheer amount of wealth.
Genard pushed it all aside and pulled something out from the back.
It was a communication crystal—larger than the typical kind.
He placed it on the table in the center of the room and took a deep breath.
"Huff…"
Genard wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Perhaps tense about what was to come, he took several deep breaths and placed his hand on the crystal. A faint light glowed.
Soon, a vague figure began to emerge from within.
"Greetings."
Genard bowed deeply.
Asana squinted, trying to see who the figure was, but it wasn't clear.
The light from the crystal was too bright, casting deep shadows over the person's face.
"So, the thing is, the Third Prince suddenly appeared…"
Genard gave a detailed report of what had happened in the courtroom.
Eventually, the other party spoke.
Genard pressed his ear close to the crystal and nodded repeatedly, but nothing reached Asana's ears.
"Yes, yes. Understood. I will do so."
Genard was visibly flustered.
"I apologize. I'll make sure nothing like this ever happens again. Yes."
When the call ended, the light in the crystal faded.
Genard remained motionless with his head bowed. His hands clenched into fists, crumpling the fabric of his pants.
Then came a voice, half sobbing.
"Damn it, why does everyone keep tormenting me…"
He muttered for a while, then eventually stood up, returned the crystal to the safe, and walked out with heavy steps.
Asana emerged from the shadows and approached the safe. She entered the code she had memorized earlier, and the lock opened easily.
She took out the crystal and examined it.
At a glance, it looked ordinary, but something was different.
It was a long-distance communication crystal made by the Empire. Only those with imperial authorization could possess one.
Having it was strong proof that Genard was connected to the Empire.
"Huff…"
Asana held the crystal to her chest. It was a bit large to carry, but she decided to deliver the evidence to Yuri.
Just as she tried to leave Genard's room through the shadows—
Suddenly, the crystal emitted light.
Even someone like her, who rarely showed surprise, was taken aback. She hadn't infused it with any mana, yet it reacted on its own.
A human figure briefly appeared within the crystal.
But the light didn't last long. The crystal cracked and shattered in her arms.
Shards cut into her arm and abdomen, and blood splattered.
"Ggh…"
The crystal shards fell, making a loud noise. Footsteps could be heard outside.
Asana darted toward the darkest shadow in the room.
Her vision shifted.
She was now swimming in the world of shadows—a secret space she had never told anyone about.
But suddenly, something tugged at her foot.
One of the remaining shards from the crystal had embedded itself in her calf. From it, a dark smoke-like substance clung to her.
Asana shook her leg to throw it off.
Meanwhile, outside the shadow, Genard's knights were ransacking the room.
Her body was being slowly pushed out from the world of shadows.
[T/L: Read more chapters on Ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]