Chapter 273. Yuri vs Anti-Yuri Alliance (1)
Cooperation.
That was the word Julia had mentioned during the previous roundtable meeting.
And everyone who heard it had a similar thought.
[“Well, to face Yuri Holland, you’d at least need someone like Gunther Ryder.”]
[“Though he lost in the last Dragon Tournament, currently, the only one in the Cradle who can go head-to-head with Yuri Holland is him.”]
Everyone present at the roundtable believed that “cooperation” meant Gunther would participate in their plan and fight Yuri Holland alongside them.
Goetz was no different.
Goetz, who had been wearing a surprised expression, and Gunther, who looked puzzled, watched as Julia sighed.
“What’s with everyone? Did you really think I arranged this meeting for such a trivial reason?”
“…Then what does your ‘cooperation’ mean?”
Julia finally wiped away her incredulous expression at Gunther’s question.
Her gaze became serious.
“I need something that you possess, senior.”
“Something I have?”
Gunther looked completely bewildered.
“Yes, what you have is crucial for our plan.”
“And what would that be?”
“Your prize for being the runner-up in last year’s Dragon Tournament.”
“…?!”
Gunther’s expression stiffened as soon as she finished speaking.
The prize for the winner of last year’s Dragon Tournament was the privilege of accessing the Black Dragon Vault.
In addition, finalists received entry rights to the Gold Dragon Vault and Silver Dragon Vault sequentially.
The runner-up was granted access to the White Dragon Vault, a level below the Black Dragon Vault.
In other words, Julia was asking for the access rights to the White Dragon Vault.
Gunther, forcing his rigid expression to relax, asked,
“And why do you think I still have that?”
Julia responded with a slight smile.
“Because the White Dragon Vault hasn’t opened once since last year’s Dragon Tournament.”
“……”
Gunther fell silent.
However, even Goetz could tell that his silence practically admitted he hadn’t yet entered the White Dragon Vault.
So, of course, Julia would be aware of that as well.
“Hehehe.”
Gunther’s slightly irritated voice broke her faint laughter.
“So, why do you want it from me?”
“As I said, to deal with Yuri Holland.”
“……”
“Ah, more precisely, I need it as bait to draw Yuri Holland into our plan.”
“Bait? The White Dragon Vault?”
“Yes, because it contains something he wants.”
“…?!”
Gunther’s eyes widened, as did Goetz’s, at Julia’s calm statement.
“Is that true? How did you know?”
“Hehe, that’s a trade secret of the Bluebird.”
Goetz clicked his tongue at her playful tone.
“I’m starting to fear the Bluebird more and more. Haha.”
It wasn’t enough that they could deliver letters to Gunther, whose whereabouts were unknown.
They knew whether the White Dragon Vault was open, and even its contents.
Now, they even understood the personal circumstances of a mere cadet.
Goetz shivered at the astounding level of intelligence.
‘The Bluebird’s information network is this capable?’
Meanwhile, Gunther simply stared quietly at Julia.
After a long moment, he spoke in a flat tone.
“So, to draw Yuri Holland in, you need my access rights to the White Dragon Vault… and your ‘cooperation’ means you want me to give them to you.”
“Isn’t that what I’ve been explaining?”
Gunther scoffed.
“Why should I do that?”
In truth, Gunther hadn’t been harmed in the current situation.
Moreover, if he continued to live in his private training space as he did now, he wouldn’t suffer any losses in the future either.
Thus, he had no reason to bear the loss of giving up his access rights to the White Dragon Vault.
Julia grinned mischievously at Gunther’s rebuttal.
“Honestly, senior, you don’t need something like access to the White Dragon Vault, do you?”
It was unprecedented that the Black Dragon Vault was opened to the winner of the Dragon Tournament.
Traditionally, it was the White Dragon Vault that was opened to the winner.
Though not as grand as the Black Dragon Vault, the White Dragon Vault still contained many rare treasures.
However, that was from the perspective of a regular cadet in the Cradle.
“Senior could enter whenever you wish, couldn’t you?”
“You know quite a bit, don’t you?”
If the Black Dragon Vault was the Sword Master’s personal trophy room, then the White Dragon Vault was a treasure vault belonging to the Ryder family.
The Cradle and the Ryder family were inseparably connected.
Thus, the Ryder family’s treasure vault was used as a resource for the Cradle.
By the Sword Master’s decree.
It was no wonder Gunther was surprised when Julia brought up a matter that even most cadets, including the Black Sword Corps, didn’t fully understand.
After gazing at Julia briefly, he shook his head.
“But you’re wrong. Even I can’t just enter the White Dragon Vault. The family’s approval is required.”
“As far as I know, the direct descendants of the head of the family are granted five lifetime access rights to the White Dragon Vault without any special procedures.”
“You knew even that?”
Gunther looked at Julia in even greater surprise.
Silence fell for a moment.
“But that still doesn’t give me a reason to give up that right.”
Gunther’s response, after a long pause, was one of refusal.
Julia, as if having expected this, replied smoothly.
“Of course, that’s fair. In that case, how about this?”
“……”
“In exchange for transferring the runner-up privilege of last year’s Dragon Tournament, we’ll provide something you need.”
“Something I need… Hmm? Can you really offer me what I need?”
“We can.”
“Even things I don’t know I need?”
“Yes, for example…”
Julia paused briefly, her eyes gleaming.
“…Yuri Holland’s weaknesses in battle?”
“…?!”
Gunther’s pupils trembled violently as soon as Julia finished speaking.
And Gunther wasn’t the only one whose pupils quaked.
“Are you saying such a thing exists? Can Bluebird really know that?!”
Goetz’s sharp voice cut into the conversation.
Julia shook her head with a bashful smile.
“No, I don’t know.”
“Huh?”
Gunther and Goetz’s expressions twisted awkwardly at the same time.
Goetz tilted his head repeatedly, unable to grasp the situation.
And…
“…Are you playing word games with me?”
Gunther’s eyes narrowed with a hint of anger.
Julia, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy watching their changing expressions as she smiled.
“Word games? I’m more serious now than ever.”
“…If you’re going to keep playing games, then I’ll leave. I have no desire to waste my time.”
Gunther, showing clear displeasure.
Julia responded with a cold look, her smile vanishing.
“I said I’m not joking.”
“But your words are full of contradictions.”
“What contradictions?”
“How can you offer me Yuri Holland’s weaknesses if you don’t even know them?”
“I may not know, but you can find out.”
“…What do you mean?”
“You don’t have to fight alongside us in our plan. But I’ll show you everything about Yuri Holland as we fight.”
“……”
“Find Yuri Holland’s weaknesses yourself. Directly.”
At Julia’s suggestion, Goetz let out an ‘Ah!’ as if he had realized something.
“Indeed… that’s a viable method!”
With their current knowledge, which had fallen significantly behind, they wouldn’t be able to discern Yuri Holland’s weaknesses.
However, if Gunther, who was at a similar level even though he had lost, observed closely, he might discover something.
But there was one prerequisite.
Gunther pinpointed it precisely.
“Can you really draw out Yuri Holland’s full strength with your current level?”
To find Yuri Holland’s weaknesses, at the very least, he would need to display a certain level of skill.
Julia nodded in response to Gunther’s question.
“If I can lure him into the battlefield I’ve prepared.”
“……”
“Of course, that can only be attempted if you offer the bait, senior.”
Are you really not going to give it?
Julia’s provocative smile seemed to ask as Gunther fell silent.
And the longer the silence dragged on, the more Julia knew that Gunther was leaning towards agreement.
So she pressed on firmly.
“Hmm, fine. Let’s do it this way.”
“…What do you mean?”
“If we win the direct confrontation with Yuri Holland, you don’t have to give up the bait, meaning the access rights to the White Dragon Vault. It’s just bait, after all.”
“What if you lose?”
“Then, naturally, we’ll have to hand it over to Yuri Holland. But don’t worry. We’ll never… lose.”
Julia’s voice brimmed with confidence, and Gunther fell silent once more.
‘Not bad.’
No, to be honest, it was a good offer.
A chance to observe the fight, regardless of the circumstances.
A chance to observe Yuri Holland!
If Julia’s plan went accordingly and they won, Gunther would learn much about Yuri Holland.
And if luck favored him, he might find Yuri Holland’s weaknesses.
All without losing anything.
However, if they lost, Gunther would only lose his access rights to the White Dragon Vault.
But even then, he’d still gain information about Yuri Holland.
‘This deal is practically an equivalent exchange, even if it means giving up the White Dragon Vault for information on Yuri Holland.’
An equal exchange.
No, for him, the information and weaknesses of Yuri Holland were more valuable than access to the White Dragon Vault.
In other words, it was a profitable deal.
Having finished his calculations, Gunther addressed Julia.
“I understand what you want.”
“And your answer?”
“…I’ll give you an answer after some more thought.”
“
Sure, take your time. But if you take too long, I’ll have to find another bait, so you need to answer by tomorrow at the latest.”
“Alright.”
Gunther answered shortly and turned to leave the lakeside.
Once Gunther was completely gone, Goetz turned to Julia and asked,
“Do you think he’ll accept?”
“He already did.”
“He already did? Hmm… but he said he’d give his answer later, didn’t he?”
“If that stubborn man planned to refuse, he would’ve done so right here. And he would’ve drawn the line, telling us not to contact him again.”
“Considering Gunther’s personality, that does make sense… But then why did he say he’d give an answer tomorrow?”
Goetz’s puzzled follow-up caused Julia to smirk.
“Why do you think? Pride, of course.”
“Pride?”
“He’s probably bothered by the thought of finding a rival’s weakness in such a manner.”
“Then there’s still a chance he might refuse tomorrow?”
“No, he won’t.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“Gunther… he craves his father’s love more than anyone else.”
“That Gunther?”
Goetz looked incredulous.
That such a wooden man would yearn for his father’s love.
Goetz blinked in disbelief as Julia calmly continued.
“Yes, he respects his father, the Sword Master, more than anyone and reveres the order of this world. The order the Sword Master established.”
“That does seem… somewhat accurate.”
“But now, Yuri Holland, a thorn in his side who’s gaining his father’s attention, is disrupting the order of the Cradle his father created. How do you think Gunther feels?”
“Jealous and resentful, of course.”
“Exactly, and consumed by those emotions…”
Julia muttered softly as she looked in the direction Gunther had disappeared.
“He will probably become even more obsessed with Yuri Holland. By then, his pride won’t matter anymore.”
At that time, Gunther wouldn’t be able to maintain his pride and say he’d answer tomorrow.
Julia didn’t say that part aloud.
Instead, she smiled subtly.
“Well, just wait and see. He’ll contact us tomorrow. Without fail!”
As if there were no doubt.
Hearing her confident voice, Goetz’s eyes gleamed with a hint of bitterness.
‘For some reason, I… wish Gunther would refuse this proposal.’
He hoped that the person he once admired would not be ruined.
However, contrary to Goetz’s wish, the next day.
A letter from Gunther, agreeing to the proposal, was delivered to Julia through the Black Sword Corps.
* * *
July 29th.
On a day when summer rain drizzled incessantly.
“Yuri, Yuriiii!”
Arin’s urgent voice echoed through the Demon King’s castle.
And soon, with the sound of frantic footsteps, she burst into the dining room.
Bang-!
The door swung open violently.
Yuri, who had been sipping tea with Theresia and Gunther, grimaced deeply.
“Hey, how many times do I have to tell you to open the door gently? If it breaks, I’m the one who has to fix it!”
Yuri’s reproach was echoed by Gunther, who cherished the Demon King’s castle more than anyone.
“That’s right. Treat the castle we built together with care, Arin Helga. Handle it gently with love.”
Gunther lectured softly, almost like a teacher.
Theresia, on the other hand, was busy enjoying her sweet tea, indifferent to the commotion.
But only for a moment.
Theresia soon turned her gaze to Arin’s next words.
“Oh, come on, that’s not the point right now! It’s a revolt, a revolt!”
“The only revolt happening here is the one you’re causing. Open and shut that door like that again, and I’ll consider you a rebel and execute you on the spot.”
Yuri drew a thumb across his throat, expressionless, making Arin flinch for a second.
Then she snapped back to her senses and yelled out.
“For real! There are dozens… no, hundreds of them gathered outside!”