The Prince Wants to Retire

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Chapter 8: The Crown Prince’s Imperial Guard

“I want to retire!”

The Grand Council Meeting everyone had been watching closely.

The meeting, which started with both excitement and anxiety, ended up being much more serious than anticipated.

The faction everyone had been focused on, the Emperor Faction, was no longer the problem.

“Shall we cover up the corruption in the Temple again this time?”

“The Holy Nation’s letter of protest? It’s the pot calling the kettle black!”

“The secret relationship between the Emperor Faction and the Holy Nation?”

“Shocking! What about the relationship between the Temple and the Dark Mage?”

The corruption in the Temple alone was shocking, but what the Crown Prince revealed was even more so—objects from a Dark Mage found in the Temple’s secret vault.

This was not something that could simply be swept under the rug.

Even the followers who would typically try to cover things up were horrified by the revelation of the Dark Mage’s artifacts.

Of course, there were some who whispered that the Crown Prince and the Aristocratic Faction had conspired to fabricate evidence.

But even they fell silent upon hearing that the Crown Prince himself had put his position on the line to plead with the Emperor.

With news spreading from the Imperial Palace, he gained the unwavering support of Empire Citizens, and there was nothing left to fear.

“Move out.”

“Yes!”

The head of the Inspection Department, under Kariel’s orders, sprang into action immediately.

The Neutral Faction was mobilized to seal the borders.

The Aristocratic Faction was set to start investigations into Temples scattered throughout the Empire.

At the same time, using the imperial authority, he moved the Security Brigade and the Military as well.

“Send word that we need to capture everyone before they flee to foreign nations.”

A letter delivered directly to the Count of the Border from Kariel.

Feeling his determination to eradicate the pests gnawing at the Empire, Talion quickened his pace.

He confined the spies attempting to flee to foreign nations within the Empire.

He apprehended priests trying to escape to the Holy Nation using Divine Right.

And he began rounding up the nobles who had allied with them.

“The Aristocratic and Neutral Factions have joined forces for the Empire! At the center of this is the Crown Prince?”

“A decaying Empire. But there is hope!”

“Movement changing around the Crown Prince.”

The Empire began to stir.

With justification and weaponry in hand, Kariel had nothing to fear.

Though it was brutal enough to be called a tyrant, no one blamed Kariel.

The multiple layers of justification cancelled everything out.

“I, I didn’t do it! I swear I’m innocent!”

A noble protested, trying to resist, but was ultimately captured and taken away.

Normally, they would try to insist on their title and backing, but even those from the Aristocratic Faction turned a blind eye.

The money earned through treading the line between the Emperor Faction and the Aristocratic Faction provided no help.

This was not something that could be swept away with bribes.

The other nobles, at least, were doing slightly better.

“You can kill them if they resist.”

“Yes!”

As the Knight Order drew their swords to confront the Criminal Organizations resisting the Security Brigade, the criminals, realizing they might die if caught this time, desperately tried to flee, but the military was in motion.

They weren’t just any ordinary knights, but the Empire’s Elite Knights.

“S- spare me!”

As the mana began to radiate from the knights’ swords, the criminals quickly tossed down their weapons and raised their hands.

Among them were those trying to flee while secretly holding weapons.

Such individuals received no mercy, having their wrists sliced off or legs chopped down.

“Don’t move! Next time, it’ll be your head.”

At the knights’ chilling words, the expressions of the criminals hardened.

They weren’t knights who became prominent through connections without practical experience.

Even amidst the sudden situation, their calmness and ruthless swordsmanship sent waves of fear, making escape unthinkable.

Such scenarios weren’t limited to the capital.

Elite knights began to move directly across the Empire centered around the Central region, with Criminal Organizations realizing their only option was to surrender to the Security Brigade.

“……Is this really the end?”

The Chancellor looked out at the sky through the window of the Chancellor’s Office.

This was a far cry from the current Emperor’s tendency to brush things off lightly; it was on another level entirely.

Originally, slow movers would have escaped, but this time was different, meaning there were signs pointing to high-ranking nobles from the Emperor Faction being involved.

“This is it.”

In the end, the Chancellor had no choice but to acknowledge the situation.

Though he had been pointed at as a treacherous minister who had ruined the Empire, he had ultimately climbed to the position of Chancellor, yet there was clearly no escape this time.

“What if I had been wary of the Crown Prince?”

The Chancellor muttered to himself, but it was all hindsight.

No one could possibly think that the sickly and young Crown Prince would possess such capabilities.

Yet it was clear that had he known even a little about the Crown Prince, things wouldn’t have reached this point.

“……That’s unfortunate.”

The Chancellor chuckled wryly as he sensed his end approaching.

While some trembled in fear and displayed their ugly sides to escape the tightening grip, he did not.

After all, he was the one who had elevated a family on the brink of collapse into a Duke House through countless disputes among nobles.

Having fought against many prestigious families while serving as Chancellor, he held no regrets.

“……The changes in the Empire will begin with my downfall.”

He muttered, calmly awaiting the inevitable arrival of the Inspection Department.

Inside his office, the Chancellor remained holed up.

Even news of his abandonment circulated, causing the Emperor Faction to partially give up its last-ditch efforts.

With the Emperor having abandoned them and their one last chance through foreign nations blocked, it was as good as over for the Emperor Faction.

Devastated, the Emperor Faction found other nobles weren’t faring much better.

They hadn’t acted alone in their corruption for all those years; the Aristocratic and Neutral Factions had plenty to lose as well.

If there was any place smiling in the Empire, it was the Crown Prince’s Palace.

“Not a move from the Chancellor?”

“That’s correct.”

Talion’s reply caught Kariel off guard.

“He’s said to be calmly awaiting his end.”

Upon hearing this, Kariel nodded slightly.

Even termed a quintessential treacherous minister, rising from Lower Noble to Chancellor required a certain degree of bravery.

“If the Empire had been functioning normally…”

Kariel murmured, but he knew that speculation held no significance.

He was well aware of how oft he had uttered the word “if” in his previous life.

What if my body had been healthy?

What if I had a normal faction to lean on?

What if the late Emperor had been an ordinary ruler?

He lamented about reality while forming these hypothetical scenarios.

‘It was all meaningless.’

Kariel grimaced as he looked at Talion.

“Now that even the Chancellor has given up, we can accelerate our plan.”

“……That seems likely.”

“There will be many among the Emperor Faction attempting to flee to foreign nations. Tell them to capture everyone, especially the priests—don’t let anyone slip through.”

“Yes!”

At Kariel’s command, Talion swiftly moved into action.

Less than a day after Kariel issued the orders, a massive operation unfolded.

Having captured the Criminal Organizations and spies, all that remained was to round up the garbage-like nobles.

“Alright, let’s keep going like this.”

“A massive purge! The Empire is becoming cleaner by the day!”

Reading the article in the morning newspaper, Kariel smiled contentedly.

The reactions from Empire Citizens that he was worried about were not bad.

While rounding up the garbage nobles, they followed the trail of illicit funds they had accumulated, and naturally, the issues with the Temple ballooned.

Consequently, even the priests began to get arrested throughout the Empire, ultimately leading to the Inspection Department arresting even the High Priests.

“Your Highness, another letter of protest from the Holy Nation…”

“Take that and post it in the square.”

Kariel publicly displayed the Holy Nation’s letter of protest in the square.

At that moment, outrage erupted among the Empire Citizens.

Some even began raiding the Temple, setting it ablaze or vandalizing the buildings, escalating the situation beyond control.

While they believed in God, their pride as Empire Citizens proved to be stronger, and anger against the Holy Nation daring to commit crimes and send protest letters soared to astonishing heights.

Of course, some devout followers advised restraint, but even they couldn’t help but shrink back at the mention of the Dark Mage.

“My work here is done.”

Kariel smiled as he gazed at the newspaper reflecting the reactions of the Empire Citizens.

He couldn’t shake the thought of how little time was left for a Yolo life, which brought a smile to his face.

Approaching him, Talion sighed heavily.

“Your Highness, this is no time for leisure.”

“Leisure? I’m tending to state affairs!”

Kariel snapped back at Talion’s comment.

But all he had done was read the newspaper.

Coughing awkwardly at Talion’s cold gaze, he quietly began preparing for exercise.

“Your Highness.”

“I’m getting ready now. Don’t fuss.”

“Fuss? Everyone’s waiting to see you…”

Talion hesitated, trailing off, prompting Kariel to ask with confusion.

“Just who is it?”

“Nobles, perhaps?”

“No.”

Talion shook his head.

“They’re the individuals you previously commanded.”

“Oh! Have they arrived in the capital?”

“Yes, but…”

“But?”

As Talion hesitated, Kariel queried with a puzzled expression.

“They’re said to be oddballs, just as the rumors go…”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“They might come off as disrespectful.”

“Then I’ll just have to bear it.”

Kariel nodded as if unaffected and urged to bring them in quickly.

“Since I have to meet them, I’ll skip today’s exercise…”

“I’ll arrange for you to see them around evening.”

At Kariel’s remark, Talion retorted with disbelief and stepped back.

Kariel sighed as he left the room.

“Your Highness!”

As Toto rushed in, beaming brightly, Kariel’s expression soured.

“Your Highness, it’s disappointing to see you looking like that. I’ve been cutting back my training time to prepare for your exercises…”

With a facade of disappointment, Toto twisted his body.

But watching the muscular Toto act in such a manner only inflamed Kariel’s anger.

“Then take it easy! I end up exhausted every time!”

“That’s how you train to be comfortable later.”

Toto asserted firmly and dragged Kariel towards the training ground.

“I need to quickly shed this basics of foundation!”

Lately, his training regimen had doubled due to an increasing control over his fire energy.

Using basic Body Technique had its limits for controlling fire energy, hence the heightened training volume.

Ultimately, Kariel was pushed to the brink of exhaustion once again before staggering back to his room. There, unfamiliar faces awaited him.

“Your Highness, here are the oddballs… I mean experts you requested.”

Talion corrected himself with a smack to his mouth and introduced the oddballs.

Contrary to the notion that they were obsessed with fire, one of them was a seemingly calm woman, while the other was ruggedly built yet grounded, rumored to be obsessed with combat.

“Just as the rumors described.”

Kariel gazed at the Monster Surgeon Brion.

With an appearance that resembled a muscular version of Toto, brimming with bizarre tools, he indeed gave off an impression of an oddball.

“Nice to meet you, I am Mage Arshuna.”

“I am Mercenary Iris.”

“I am Surgeon Brion.”

Receiving their introductions, Kariel tilted his head at Brion.

There is a distinction between a surgeon and a physician.

Unlike Earth, where they are divided into internal and external medicine, this place referred to those in internal medicine as “surgeons.”

In other words, it was like a general surgeon suddenly changing to internal medicine.

“Surgeon?”

“……I recently changed my specialty. Everyone runs away when they see me…”

Brion’s mention made Kariel sigh.

That was to say he switched specialties to make money.

“So does that mean no more monster dissections?”

“……That’s not the case.”

As Brion fondled his strange equipment, Kariel looked at him with a cold gaze.