The 3rd Prince of the Fallen Kingdom Returns

21. The Black Dog (3)

It was an orc shaman, blindfolded with cloth and holding a wooden staff.

The orc’s form seemed insubstantial, like a fading illusion.

Though it had color, it was ghostly, and when Yuri reached out, his fingers passed through it like air.

The orc stared silently at Yuri.

“I asked. Who are you?”

The orc’s lips twitched, then it suddenly moved to the side. Yuri followed its gaze. The orc’s expression twisted even more.

The orc seemed startled, as if it hadn’t expected Yuri to notice it at all.

“What is this?”

Come to think of it, it was strange.

An orc was wandering freely around the camp, and yet, no one else seemed aware of its presence.

It dawned on Yuri — he was the only one who could see the orc.

“What are you?”

Yuri swung Guilty. As if cutting through water, the orc’s form dispersed and then reassembled.

The orc flinched, retreating in shock.

“Does it even have any real impact?”

The orc mumbled something, but no sound could be heard.

“Hey! Over there!”

Yuri called a passing soldier.

The soldier hurried over to Yuri.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Reach out your hand here.”

“Pardon?”

“Try touching the air.”

“Yes, sir…”

The soldier did as Yuri instructed, moving his hand through the air. However, his hand passed right through the orc as if it wasn’t there.

“A-Are you punishing me, Your Highness? I haven’t done anything wrong…”

“No. It’s not that.”

Yuri gave the soldier another command.

“Here. Swing your sword at this spot.”

“Is there something here?”

“Just do it first.”

The soldier swung his sword, but the blade passed through the air with no resistance. The orc remained intact, not even flickering like it had when Yuri attacked it.

The orc shouted something again, though it was still inaudible.

“Your Highness, why are you making me do this…?”

“Look here.”

Yuri raised his sword and pointed at the orc’s face.

“There’s a ghost here.”

“Pardon?”

“It seems only I can see it.”

“What do you mean…?”

“I see ghosts.”

The soldier stepped back. He was the type to be afraid of ghosts.

With a sinister expression, Yuri whispered.

“This guy is eyeing you like you’re a snack. He’s probably targeting you. Seems like you’ve committed quite a sin. So, what exactly did you do?”

“M-My apologies, but I must take my leave!”

The soldier bowed to Yuri and then ran off in the opposite direction.

Yuri let out a sigh, concerned about the discipline in Briol.

“Was that soldier guilty of something?”

He turned his gaze back to the orc.

The orc remained standing still despite Yuri’s series of tests. It seemed to be observing Yuri as well.

The orc reached out its hand as if to touch Yuri.

“Keep your hands off me.”

Yuri swung Guilty. The orc’s form rippled more violently this time.

It stepped back a few paces, gripping its staff tightly, as if it had felt some effect from the attack.

“A creature only I can see, huh…”

Yuri pressed forward, stabbing Guilty repeatedly. The orc kept retreating.

Though there was no blood or any visible injuries, the orc’s form continued to grow fainter. It was clearly having an effect.

Eventually, the orc turned and started to flee.

Yuri chased after it, realizing he was now in pursuit.

The orc, with no physical form, slipped effortlessly through the obstacles in the camp.. Yuri, having to dodge and jump over them, stumbled several times.

“Your Highness, what are you doing?!”

“Catching an orc!”

“What?”

But no one else saw what Yuri saw.

“I’ll uncover what you really are.”

It was at that moment.

The orc spewed black haze from its body and suddenly turned, pouncing on Yuri.

Startled, Yuri halted and swung Guilty in reflex.

The orc ignored the swing and engulfed Yuri in its black haze.. A chilling sensation spread through his entire body.

“What the…?”

In an instant, the orc dissolved into the air, vanishing like smoke.

Yuri rubbed his arm, trying to shake off the lingering chill that spread from the orc’s touch.

He checked his energy flow.

A strange, impure aura had spread throughout his body.

However, as Yuri circulated his Mana Method, the energy of Heart and Soul Slash swiftly pushed it away, and it dissipated completely.

“What was that?”

Had he truly fought an orc ghost?

The best person to discuss this with was, of course, a mage.

After grabbing a tray of food, Yuri barged into Hernando’s tent.

“Hernan…”

It was just as he opened the tent entrance.

“….”

Several knights and soldiers, including Hernando, were sitting around a table.

Their expressions were frozen in surprise at Yuri’s sudden entrance.

“Y-Your Highness…”

The soldier sitting closest to him fumbled nervously, accidentally dropping a card from his hand.

Yuri picked it up and then glanced at the rest of the soldier’s cards.

It was a pretty decent hand.

“Hey.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Hold this and stand in that corner.”

“Yes, sir.”

Yuri handed his tray to the soldier, who quickly stepped back.

“Now, let’s see how good Sir Jared’s hand is…”

It was terrible.

“Get lost.”

Yuri pulled him up and gave him a hard kick in the backside. Jared stumbled and quickly ran out of the tent.

“Next, I believe it’s Sir Stegen. How’s your hand…?”

“Whoa, Your Highness.”

“A good hand. You may go.””

“But…”

“You’re not disappointed, are you?”

“No, sir!”

The knight fled.

Yuri continued checking all the participants’ hands, giving a passing blow to those with bad ones and sparing those with good ones.

Finally, only Hernando was left.

With a serious expression, he tightly clenched his cards.

“Your Highness, surely you’re not going to resort to violence on me…?”

“No.”

Yuri pulled over an empty chair, turned the backrest forward, and sat down.

“I have something to ask.”

“That’s a relief. What do you want to know?”

“I just saw something strange in the camp…”

“Cards aren’t strange.”

“Not that.”

Yuri explained about the mysterious orc he had encountered earlier.

Hernando, who had been tilting his head, soon became serious and leaned forward.

“It’s sorcery. It seems an orc shaman came to observe the Allied Forces.”

“Shaman?”

“Yes.”

Hernando crossed his arms, deep in thought.

“An invisible avatar…”

“Is it powerful?”

“No, not really. But there’s something suspicious about it.”

He picked up the cards scattered on the floor and continued speaking while organizing them.

“I think I know what I need to do tomorrow.”

“You mean like Marirose, dropping fireballs?”

“That was possible because it was near Balshad. Such blatant magic is easily countered, you know.”

It was rare for a mage’s firepower to be used on the battlefield. This was because it could be easily blocked by another mage.

Therefore, mages on the battlefield were used to suppress other mages.

In Marirose’s case, as a Mage Lord, she had overwhelming control over the Balshad area, allowing her to summon fireballs.

“I can’t be certain, but it seems they’re using forbidden magic. It looks like dark magic…”

“Dark magic?”

“Yes.”

Hernando thought for a moment and then said,

“Tomorrow, I’ll focus on dispelling the shaman’s sorcery.”

“Can’t you just drop fireballs?”

“That’s something only Marirose can do.”

Yuri tilted his head.

He remembered the immense firepower Hernando had displayed in his past life. Dispel or not, he had destroyed everything in his path.

Were the circumstances different now?

“Is dark magic that dangerous?”

“Not really. The Mage Tower concluded their research on it long ago. If dealt with properly, it’s actually easier to counter.”

“That’s reassuring.”

If Hernando was confident, Yuri felt like he didn’t need to worry.

Yuri stood up.

“Well then…”

In the corner, a soldier stood with a tray in hand. He awkwardly smiled when their eyes met.

“Please have your meal.”

“Yes.”

* * *

Morning arrived.

The Allied Forces didn’t rush. They intended to meet the enemy head-on, aiming to break through with straightforward force rather than relying on tricks. The orcs had the same approach.

The Allied Forces prepared to attack, while the orcs reinforced their defenses.

Yuri mounted his horse and stood with the knights.

This time, they wouldn’t charge directly; instead, their role was to pass by the enemy’s formation, to draw their attention.

Of course, if any opportunity appeared, they would seize it.

“Nervous?”

The knights looked at Yuri as he spoke.

“No need to be.”

He put strength into his voice to raise the morale of the troops.

“This is the same as before. Just follow closely behind me, and it will all be over before you know it.”

With that, Yuri raised his sword. The knights did the same, raising their swords high.

The Briol banner fluttered in the wind.

“Briol!”

As Yuri shouted, the Briol Forces let out a cheer that echoed across the plains.

The neighboring Brusin troops joined in with a resounding “Brusin!”

The energy was contagious.

One by one, each unit shouted the name of their nation, boosting their morale.

The entire Allied Forces were stirred.

The names of the thirteen nations from across the continent reverberated across the grasslands one after another.

Yuri shouted once more.

“We’re taking the vanguard this time as well. Any objections?”

“No, sir!”

“Are there any cowards here who plan to fight hiding behind others?”

“No, sir!”

“Then, are there any cowards afraid of arrows?”

“No, sir!”

“Do you want to be the first to take the orc’s head?”

“Yes!”

“Do you want to wipe out those orcs?”

“Yes!”

“We will make sure those ugly bastards will never lay a finger on Briol again! Count Sidor will no longer enjoy his sick amusements!”

The knights burst into laughter.

Yuri turned his gaze away.

From the Imperial Force’s formation, the sound of a trumpet echoed.

The battle was about to begin.

Yuri took a deep breath.

How many would die?

How many soldiers would lose their lives?

How many soldiers would lose their lives?

He would have to kill and kill again.

He had to witness death and more death.

Could he truly claim he had no part in it?

Yuri stepped forward.

Then two steps, then three more. Soon, no one was ahead of him.

He stood at the forefront.

That was the least he could do, the duty he had to bear.

Yuri charged forward.

“Briol!”

At his signal, the knights surged forward.

Not only Briol’s knights, but also those from other nations with the same mission, surged out like a spearhead from the main force.

A rain of arrows flew from the orc camp.

Yuri tugged the reins sharply. His horse swerved, and the Briol knights swiftly followed suit.

Arrows struck the ground they had just vacated.

“Stay alert!”

The Briol knights surged forward as if to attack, then swerved sharply. They galloped alongside the orcish barricade, scanning it for weaknesses.

As they got closer, the trajectory of the arrows became more direct.

“Stay focused and follow me!”

Arrows continued to fly towards the knights. Behind him, a horse screamed, followed by the heavy thud of a body hitting the ground.

Yuri gritted his teeth, gripping the reins tightly.

“Move!”

He glanced back.

The main force’s infantry was steadily advancing. While the knights drew attention, the clash had begun.

“Now…”

It was time to either retreat into the opening created by the main force or find another gap to break through.

Yuri lifted his gaze.

He spotted sections where the defenses were beginning to thin.

“Your Highness!”

He turned toward the voice calling him and saw Brusin’s knights, who had feigned a charge alongside Briol, riding closer.

“Shall we break through together?”

Yuri couldn’t help but smile.

It seemed that retreating was never an option for Brusin’s knights.

In that case, Briol could not afford to lose.

“Are you confident?”

“Of course!”

The two knight orders began to ride side-by-side.

Leading the Brusin knights was Jose. His massive frame made the horse look strained.

Yuri shouted to him.

“Sir Jose! Don’t tell me you’re planning to charge in simply because your horse is tired from carrying your weight!”

“Ah, you noticed!”

“We must move quickly before your horse collapses!”

“Indeed, it’s very urgent!”

“Then let’s go!”

“Let’s do it!”

Yuri turned his horse, and Jose swiftly followed.

They charged side by side toward the orc horde’s barricade. Charging straight in would mean their horses impaled on sharpened wooden spikes.

Yet, they did not falter.

“Ready?”

Yuri brushed his horse’s mane, then hooked his sword onto the saddle. The trained horse understood his command and snorted in response.

The barricade was getting closer.

Yuri lifted his foot onto the saddle.

The horse veered sharply.

Without hesitation, Yuri leaped into the air, with Jose following suit.

As the horses veered sideways, the knights vaulted over the stakes and into the orc camp.

They descended like a swarm of locusts, fierce and relentless.

Yuri shouted to his horse.

“See you later!”

With a roll to absorb the impact, Yuri landed and immediately raised Guilty.