ALL NOVEL Chapter 18
The Crown Prince Wishes for Retirement
“I greet Your Majesty!”
As the situation escalated, the first act of retaliation commenced.
On the day Kariel visited Miriel’s palace, all the attendants and maids present were ejected from the Imperial Palace without a second thought.
The reason? They dared to embezzle from the budget of the Princess Palace.
While regular servants typically faced expulsion from the palace, the maids, attendants, inner court attendants, and wet nurses associated with the Princess Palace faced much greater consequences.
Especially in the case of the wet nurse, the crime was grievous.
She was heavily involved in the amounts embezzled from the Princess Palace.
For reference, the budget allocated to the Princess Palace was substantial enough to leave the mouths of even lower nobles agape.
The closets brimmed with expensive garments, all out of fashion or purchased from lesser-known places.
While the room was filled with what looked like vintage items, upon closer inspection, they were all faulty.
The palace may have looked clean from the outside, but it was cluttered with dust that hadn’t been cleaned from the deeper recesses.
This occurred because they colluded with businesses tied to the Emperor’s faction to siphon off the budget of the Princess Palace.
After receiving the report, Kariel cast a cold glance at Talion.
“Bring the wet nurse.”
Talion immediately bowed his head and exited.
Moments later, the wet nurse was dragged in, trembling, before Kariel, who sat with a stern expression.
“Since the Empress passed, I heard a wet nurse from the maternal family managed the palace. What I saw of the Princess Palace yesterday was nothing short of garbage.”
“P-please, Your Highness! I was negligent…!”
“Is negligence all your crimes amount to?”
Having just emerged from torture in prison, the bloodied wet nurse looked up at Kariel with trembling eyes.
Hoping for a shred of mercy from the young Kariel, she realized that such hopes were futile the moment she met his gaze.
His cold eyes bore into her, more chilling than any frozen winter.
“It appears funds allocated to the Princess Palace have flowed into the pockets of the Emperor’s faction.”
At Kariel’s words, the wet nurse stiffened in fear.
“I hear you conspired with the Emperor’s nobles to groom the princess to your liking?”
Though Kariel spoke with a smile, to the wet nurse, it appeared more devilish than friendly.
“You intentionally made her feel isolated, encouraging her to rely on the rare visits of nobles from the Emperor’s faction. The budget of the Princess Palace was funneled into the Emperor’s slush fund, while you neglected to care for the princess.”
He flung the testimonies of the maidservants at the cowering wet nurse.
A few maids with a sense of integrity had occasionally played with Miriel, but each time, the wet nurse reprimanded them.
“Y-your Highness, that’s not true!”
In a panic, the wet nurse attempted to rise, but the attendants pushed her back down onto her knees.
Kariel, eyeing the wet nurse, spoke in a chilling tone.
“Chances are, you won’t die peacefully.”
Startled by Kariel’s words, the wet nurse began to tremble uncontrollably.
“A lowly noble who managed to become a Count thanks to Your Majesty’s maternal family should be grateful and live humbly. How dare you lay a hand on royalty?”
Kariel exploded in fury, filling the room with palpable pressure that even the attendants holding the wet nurse flinched from.
With a frosty smile, Kariel fixed his gaze on her.
“Now, tell me, how far do your connections reach? Then perhaps a swift death will be your consolation.”
Kariel said this with an almost benevolent expression, but the wet nurse was left shuddering, shaking her head.
“Your Highness, I truly have no connections…”
As she tried to deny her guilt, Kariel generously provided her with evidence of her transgressions.
“Are you denying that this business is linked to the Emperor’s faction?”
“Your Highness, I simply recommended this shop because I thought it would please the princess!”
She persisted in denying her sins, thinking that if she kept her mouth shut, the Emperor’s faction might at least spare her life.
Visible in her thoughts was the desire to live in peace, akin to being forgotten in a remote countryside.
To snap her back to reality, Kariel spoke.
“I have some good news for you, as you’re destined for a hellish life.”
Kariel leaned closer, whispering in her ear.
“From now on, every single person connected to this incident, regardless of status, will face consequences. This was discussed with the dukes, and arrangements with the neutral faction have been finalized.”
“Ah… ah…!”
“The path to hell won’t be lonely; I’ll ensure all those linked to you, including your family, are eradicated.”
With that, Kariel waved a dismissive hand, instructing them to remove the wet nurse.
Panicked, she grabbed Kariel’s ankle, pleading desperately.
“Your Highness! Your Highness! I will tell you everything I know, so please! Spare my family…”
“Get lost.”
“Your Highness! No-o!”
Showing no interest in giving her another chance, Kariel ordered her removed and turned to Talion.
“It seems I must go back, however troublesome it is.”
“I shall convey your message to the Chancellor.”
Kariel’s firm decision to not give the wet nurse any further chances was palpable to Talion, who bowed his head and retreated without a word.
Kariel had initially intended to use the wet nurse to eliminate the Emperor’s faction, but upon witnessing her brazen attitude, he changed his mind.
‘There’s no need to placate trash.’
With that thought, Kariel activated plan B.
He publicized the incidents that had befallen the official princess, Miriel.
Simultaneously, he revealed that Count Osunville, the one who leaked military secrets, was merely a liaison between the foreign nations and the Emperor’s faction.
“The two ducal families of the empire have moved. This matter will be brought up at the Grand Council Meeting!”
“The neutral faction is also on the move. Is the Chancellor at the center of it?”
As news spread of the movement from the ducal families and neutral faction through the capital, panic set in among the Emperor’s faction.
“Of all times… why now, when we had no interest in the princess!”
“This is madness. We must find a way to survive!”
Inner courtiers from the Emperor’s faction busily scurried around the Imperial Palace.
Meeting with the nobles they normally associated with from the Aristocratic and Neutral factions, none of them were willing to entertain them.
Taking this moment to crush the Emperor’s faction, the Chancellor decided to meet with the Emperor directly.
“Your Majesty, Chancellor Mussolini wishes to see you.”
Responding to the attendant’s call, the Emperor gestured for him to enter, and cautiously, the door creaked open for Mussolini.
The scene he entered was that of his children gathered before the Emperor.
“Welcome.”
“…I greet Your Majesty!”
The Emperor greeted Mussolini warmly, leaving him a bit flustered as he quickly composed himself and bowed.
“I pay my respects to the Crown Prince, the princes, and the princess.”
As Mussolini greeted them, everyone returned his salutation with smiles.
In the midst of this warm reception, the Emperor looked at Mussolini expectantly.
“So, what brings you here?”
Mussolini, cautious, opened his mouth to speak.
“I came to discuss the matter regarding the princess.”
“Ah, I was just about to say the same; how fortuitous.”
At the Emperor’s words, Mussolini glanced sideways at the Crown Prince, realizing he was a step behind.
Kariel spoke to Mussolini, who showed a slightly flustered expression.
“It was an audacious act to lay hands on a member of the royal family. This merits a severe punishment.”
“Mmm, that is a valid point. However, should this become too large an affair, it could disrupt the empire’s balance.”
Hearing the Emperor’s admonition, Mussolini felt a glimmer of hope and urged earnestly.
“Yet, it’s crucial to uphold the dignity of the royal family, is it not?”
“And why is that?”
In response to the Emperor’s question, Mussolini bent even lower, almost straining.
“It’s essential to punish all of the internal ministry heads for their failure in managing the Princess Palace, along with the attendants and maidservants who brought disgrace upon the princess, and all those scoundrels providing her with subpar products!”
Upon hearing this, the Emperor glanced at Kariel with delight.
Mussolini’s insistent demand sounded as though he wanted to purge anyone connected to the incident.
But upon closer examination, it was evident that he was suggesting only the useless ones should be eradicated.
‘Let’s wrap this up within the internal ministry.’
As if silently conveying this message to Kariel was the Chancellor’s expression.
With a large smile, Kariel responded.
“Your Majesty, severe punishment is certainly warranted. However, if this is the end of it, such incidents could easily recur. I believe we must find and eradicate the root of the problem.”
“I too believe that.”
“I share the same sentiment as my brother.”
As the Crown Prince spoke, both the Second and Third Princes chimed in, echoing the same thoughts, causing the Emperor’s expression to become one of confusion.
If they had come merely for courtesy, the Emperor would have erupted in anger and commanded silence.
But that wasn’t the case.
The Crown Prince represented the Neutral faction, while the Second and Third Princes spoke on behalf of the ducal families.
Thus, the Emperor swallowed his retort in silence.
“Your Highness, the matter at hand has already grown too large, putting us in a state of chaos. If it escalates further…”
The Chancellor, sweating profusely, looked at Kariel; she met him with a cold gaze.
“Therefore, we need to settle this once and for all. The time has come to eradicate all those pests gnawing at the empire for good; you understand this is in the empire’s best interests, do you not, Chancellor?”
“However, Your Majesty’s established balance might be jeopardized.”
“The eradication of all corruption will be a testament to Your Majesty’s legacy as a great ruler. Are you hoping to obstruct that?”
As Kariel spoke, the Chancellor’s jaw clenched tightly.
With the moral high ground firmly on the other side, he found himself fighting an uphill battle.
‘I must cling tightly to the balance doctrine.’
Desperate, the Chancellor spoke up.
“Your Majesty, if this continues, the balance will surely break. Our relationships with foreign nations could sour as well. We must invite the foreign diplomats and discuss this matter methodically.”
The Chancellor sought desperately to buy time.
If the Emperor accepted, the Emperor’s faction would utilize that time to find a means of survival.
They would secretly destroy documents of malfeasance and sever any connections that might tie back to this event.
But Kariel had no intention of leaving things as they were.
‘Such an opportunity may not come again.’
A strike aimed at the complacent Emperor’s faction, who had believed him to be a weakling due to his frail appearance as the Crown Prince.
Kariel had no interest in leaving this mere strike as a superficial wound; he wanted it fatal.
“For now, let’s handle this matter at the Grand Council Meeting.”
The Chancellor’s face contorted at Kariel’s words.
If this were brought up at the Grand Council Meeting, it became evident that they would be at a disadvantage.
“Your Majesty.”
“That was brought up as a direct agenda item by the dukes.”
Kariel interjected, cutting off the Chancellor’s plea.
While it could be construed as a threat against the Emperor, it served to remind him, before he was swayed by the Chancellor’s words, just how serious the situation was.
“…It seems we have no choice but to let them handle it, then. We shall discuss it at the Grand Council Meeting.”
The Aristocratic and Neutral factions united.
Moreover, the rationale was aligned, and all the princes were mobilized.
The justification aimed at restoring the dignity of the royal family.
If they misstep here, the royal family members scattered across the empire might stage a return to the capital.
Should that occur, the Emperor may find himself facing demise alongside the Emperor’s faction.
‘Should I abandon them?’
Thoughts of needing to forsake the Emperor’s faction crept into the Emperor’s mind.
The expression of the Chancellor, who had observed the Emperor for a long time, contorted under strain.