The Prince Wants to Retire

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The Crown Prince Wants to Retire

7. Is the situation escalating? (3)

As Kariel moved, a tense atmosphere enveloped the Grand Council Meeting, once steeped in silence.

While everyone held their breath, staring at Kariel, the Crown Prince slowly opened his mouth.

“Your Majesty.”

Calling out to the Emperor, Kariel turned to the Chancellor and spoke.

“There are discrepancies in the Chancellor’s words.”

“Discrepancies?”

“Indeed.”

Kariel glared at the Chancellor.

“How dare you prioritize foreign affairs over our royal matters? This undermines the authority of the royal family and mocks us.”

With Kariel’s claim, the Emperor pressed his finger to his temple, glaring at Kariel as if to say, “You stepped forward just to say that?”

The Chancellor wore a smirk, as if to imply, “Of course!”

Seeing the young Kariel, he dismissed him as merely throwing a tantrum.

The neutral faction nobles frowned in disappointment, but only the Inspection Department Chief maintained a neutral expression, observing Kariel intently.

Noticing this, two Dukes remained still, sustaining their positions.

Then, a few perceptive nobles sensed something was amiss and grew silent.

‘Is there something going on?’

True to his background, having climbed to the Chancellor’s position through countless political battles, Mussolini felt that Kariel was hiding something significant.

But there was no backing down now.

Having laid all his cards on the table, he could only press forward, ensuring that whatever Kariel concealed would be brought to light.

“Your Highness, I’m not trying to cover this up. Let us first detain those involved, then investigate slowly.”

The Chancellor spoke as if gently reprimanding a child, but Kariel’s expression remained unchanged.

“Criminals should keep quiet.”

As Kariel spoke coldly to the Chancellor, the air in the council room began to chill.

Even as the Crown Prince, openly insulting the Chancellor in public was unheard of.

Kariel, who usually addressed him respectfully, had just treated him as if he were a mere criminal.

“Y-Your Highness!”

The Chancellor called out to Kariel with a bewildered look, but intriguingly, this time the Emperor did not interject.

He realized that Kariel had something more significant hidden beneath the surface.

“Your Majesty, the claims made by the Holy Nation of being wronged are false.”

“Do you have evidence?”

“Yes.”

Responding confidently to the Emperor’s inquiry, Kariel stood tall.

Seeing the self-assured expression on Kariel’s face, the Emperor let out a small sigh and nodded.

At that moment, Kariel addressed the Inspection Department Chief.

“Bring forth the evidence.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

In response to Kariel’s orders, the Chief summoned his subordinates to gather the evidence.

“The Chancellor claims that the Aristocratic and Neutral factions are involved in crimes, and thus foreign nations have sent letters of protest. Isn’t that the crux of it?”

Looking towards the Chancellor, Mussolini nodded slightly.

“So, what is this?”

Kariel tossed a bundle of papers towards him.

It contained evidence that the nobles of the Emperor’s faction had led the smuggling of drugs into the Imperial Palace.

Moreover, it detailed not only military secrets but also revelations of the Empire’s significant enterprises being siphoned off to foreign nations.

Above all, it had been the ‘wronged Holy Nation’ that had conducted such actions.

“The nation that the Chancellor defended was actually a storeroom for the Empire’s illicit funds. This was true across the entire Empire. In return, the Holy Nation pocketed massive sums of money and privileges.”

“…That’s just circumstantial evidence.”

“Is it? I don’t think so.”

As Mussolini denied it, Kariel gestured to the Inspection Department Chief.

“I figured this would happen, so I secretly investigated a few places.”

“This is…”

“When checking larger sites didn’t yield results, I went down to the local area to investigate.”

As Kariel spoke with a smile, Mussolini’s eyes began to tremble.

“Ah! Wondering why you didn’t receive updates?”

Kariel approached him with a grin.

“The Inspection Department threatened them to submit false reports.”

Watching Kariel smile brightly, Mussolini’s expression began to warp.

“…Can you definitively say that the corruption lies only with the Emperor’s faction?”

“Oh! Of course not. There’s involvement from the Aristocratic and Neutral factions too.”

Responding cheerfully to Mussolini’s statement, Kariel’s smile made the Chancellor’s expression sour.

“However, every place we investigated points back to a connection with the Holy Nation through the Emperor’s faction.”

“That…”

“From the perspective of the Inspection Department, they have no choice but to investigate the links between the Emperor’s faction and the Holy Nation, right?”

“This is just circumstantial evidence as well.”

At the Chancellor’s comment, Kariel burst into laughter.

“True, just like you said, it’s merely circumstantial. However, the Chancellor seems to have forgotten one thing.”

The Chancellor’s face crumpled, his head lowered.

Kariel was poised to elaborate on the matter that he would twist and turn.

“The fact that the Holy Nation committed corruption—that doesn’t change.”

Kariel grinned at the Chancellor.

“Did the Holy Nation claim they were wronged? Would you like me to explain how ludicrous that statement is?”

With a broad smile, Kariel turned to the nobles.

“First, they claimed that the Holy Nation didn’t send spies? The priests were basically nothing but spies to begin with!”

He held up a finger to emphasize his point.

“Second, they said the Northern nobles were involved? Those people are committing crimes on a nationwide scale; does it even matter?”

With that, Kariel turned back to the Chancellor.

“Lastly, drug smuggling? Why are they only attacking us over this? The real instigators are from the South, aren’t they?”

“…”

At long last, the Chancellor’s lips shut tight.

His only remaining opponents now were the Emperor.

“You, supporting the Holy Nation, are nothing but a criminal.”

Scorning him, Kariel turned his gaze toward the Emperor.

“Your Majesty, please make a decision.”

At the Crown Prince’s words, the Emperor furrowed his brow as he pondered.

The matter was indeed serious.

Touching the Holy Nation could lead to great turmoil within the Empire.

Among the Empire’s citizens, many worshipped the God of the Sun, complicating matters. This could even escalate to war with the Holy Nation.

Yet, there was no way to cover this up.

Go to war with the Holy Nation?

Honestly, it wasn’t an impossible task if one set their mind to it.

The problem was that believers would backlash against such a decision within the Empire.

Both nobles and commoners worshipped the Sun God, which is precisely why they chose to overlook the Holy Nation’s corruption.

‘Accusing the Holy Nation will not be easy.’

This was Mussolini’s last hope.

Having brought in the Holy Nation instead of the Southern alliance as a precautionary measure was the Chancellor’s true ace.

“Your Majesty.”

As the Emperor sunk into deep thought, Kariel spoke.

“I know it’s not easy to hold the Holy Nation accountable.”

The Emperor tilted his head curiously at Kariel’s words.

“If it makes it easier for Your Majesty to decide, I wish to offer my assistance.”

At his words, everyone in the Grand Council Meeting turned to gaze at Kariel.

In this concentrated gaze, he ordered an attendant to bring Talion into the council.

A while later, Talion entered the Grand Council with something in hand.

“What is that?”

“It’s what my attendants discovered alongside the Inspection Department.”

As Kariel said this, he unveiled a black orb covered in strange symbols.

“Th-That is…!”

The Duke Welch widened his eyes, realizing the nature of what Kariel had brought.

“What is that?”

To the Emperor’s question, Kariel glared at the Chancellor and replied.

“It’s an object used by Dark Mages.”

The whole council room’s expression hardened at his words.

“…What?”

“What do you mean by that…?”

Even the Emperor and the Chancellor were taken aback.

Other nobles looked equally baffled about the sudden mention of Dark Mages.

“This was discovered at the Temple. It was found by my attendants who accompanied the Inspection Department.”

Kariel elaborated on the circumstances of the discovery.

The Inspection Department had their limitations and needed to investigate publicly.

There might have been those who fled or hidden things; hence, using the Crown Prince’s authority, Kariel ordered his subordinates to search thoroughly.

They intended to find illicit funds but stumbled upon an unforeseen item instead.

“The Holy Nation, which should be pristine, is unthinkably associated with Dark Mages. This is something that cannot be overlooked.”

Kariel’s statement left the Emperor speechless, as opening his mouth could signify war with the Holy Nation.

Feeling the pressure from Kariel, he decided to deploy his final tactic.

“Your Majesty, I once again declare here.”

Kariel stood up.

“Once this matter concludes, I wish to retire from the Crown Prince’s position. However! I want to see this incident resolved! Allow me to serve as a Crown Prince for one last time, and please heed my request.”

The Crown Prince’s plea, made while kneeling with his head bowed.

Witnessing this, the Emperor tightly shut his eyes.

A simple request, this was anything but.

It was a final plea made with the Crown Prince’s position on the line.

“Please grant the Crown Prince’s request!”

Even the Inspection Department Chief knelt and said so, prompting Dukes to join in.

Then, everyone except the Emperor’s faction kneeled, making the same plea to the Emperor.

“Please grant the Crown Prince’s request!”

Under the pressure of the nobles, the Emperor, who had remained silent, finally opened his mouth, looking weary.

“…I grant the Crown Prince’s request.”

Ultimately, the Emperor resignedly accepted Kariel’s plea.

“This matter is of utmost importance; other issues shall be addressed later. Everyone should prioritize this matter and focus on it.”

With that, the Emperor declared and, weary, exited the Grand Council Meeting.

Then, Kariel, who was still kneeling, rose slowly and followed suit.

The Emperor and the Crown Prince departed the Grand Council Meeting.

Yet, no one dared to exit easily.

Such significant events had just unfolded.

“…It’s over.”

One of the nobles inside the council clicked his tongue, looking at the Chancellor.

The Emperor’s faction had no chance of survival now.

Since even the Emperor had abandoned them, it was the end of the Emperor’s faction.

The nobles now found the question of whether or not to go to war with the Holy Nation more pressing.

While the remaining nobles in the Grand Council discussed how to handle affairs with the Temple, Kariel headed towards the Crown Prince’s Palace with a smile.

“I’m truly relieved.”

“Isn’t it?”

Talion smiled back at the rejoicing Kariel.

“If we hadn’t discovered this, it could have been dangerous.”

“Well, it might not have turned out this well.”

Kariel nodded, acknowledging Talion’s point.

While raiding the Temple’s secret vault, they had unknowingly uncovered an artifact belonging to Dark Mages.

“The Holy Nation being connected with Dark Mages… This is something I never considered.”

“Indeed.”

While it was a mere coincidence for Talion, it wasn’t surprising for Kariel, who remembered his previous life.

He knew some of the priests had ties to Dark Mages.

Recalling a region particularly teeming with Dark Mages from his past life, he had intentionally directed the Inspection Department to investigate that area.

The thought was that while raiding, they might, by chance, uncover items associated with Dark Mages.

‘Luck was on our side.’

Kariel, uncertain of things, had no choice but to rely on that luck, discovering proof now meant things would unfold smoothly henceforth.

‘With this, I can finally set aside this tiresome position of Crown Prince.’

Giving the Emperor’s faction some hard lessons, stepping down from the position of Crown Prince, and even pressuring that audacious Holy Nation; from Kariel’s perspective, the best outcome had materialized.

Moreover, pressuring the Holy Nation would serve as a warning to other countries.

Kariel, who was feeling happier than ever watching those who had troubled him in his past life finally suffer, wore a bright smile as he headed toward the Crown Prince’s Palace.

“Shall I see Miriel?”

As he beamed while searching for Miriel, a large figure subtly approached him.

“Your Highness, it’s time for your exercise.”