The Prince Wants to Retire

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Crown Prince Wants to Retire

8. The Crown Prince’s Imperial Guard? (3)

After being holed up in the palace for a while, the Crown Prince finally started to make movements.

The nobles, who thought the situation was gradually coming to a close after capturing everyone they could, began to feel tense.

“Are they really going after even the High Nobles?”

“They’ve sharpened their swords for this.”

Intellectuals who watched Kariel visiting the Inspection Department trembled in fear as if they’d seen a ghost.

As the situation dragged on, some people were excited to see him appear and lift the morale of the Inspection Department again.

In fact, the Inspection Department, which had been feeling mentally and physically drained from dealing with the High Nobles, lit up with renewed vigor at the Crown Prince’s arrival.

“Bring me the list of High Nobles.”

“…Your Highness, do you intend to go yourself?”

At the Inspection Chief’s words, Kariel nodded.

“Yeah.”

“There will be much chatter. Even though the Aristocratic Faction and Neutral Faction support you, there will be whispers afterward.”

Just as the Inspection Chief said, there would definitely be murmurs.

Even if some committed crimes, being Nobles among Nobles, moving too aggressively could lead to backlash.

But for now, it was okay.

With a perfectly justified cause, they could afford to be a bit extreme without facing significant opposition for a while.

The time had come to end everything.

“I don’t care.”

As Kariel said that, he threw the list he received from the Inspection Chief to Talion.

“We need to wrap this up quickly and move on to the next step; we can’t be held up like this by those scum.”

Feeling Kariel’s determination, the Inspection Chief no longer voiced his concerns and brought out documents stored in the vault.

“I will guide you.”

“That’s fine. Why should a busy gentleman do that? Just attach a few members of the Inspection Department.”

Saying that, Kariel stepped outside.

Then, a few High-ranking members of the Inspection Department summoned by the Chief hurriedly followed him.

*

Bang!

The front door of a Count’s mansion was smashed in as they entered.

“Who dares! Huh! Y-Your Highness!”

“You’ve expelled the Inspection Department on my orders?”

“T-that’s….”

“You have defied an arrest order executed by the Emperor. Know that your charges will be aggravated.”

At Kariel’s signal, the following Inspection Department members seized the Count’s arms.

“Kill anyone who resists.”

As Kariel said that, he coldly surveyed the mansion.

No one dared to resist as they forced the Count to comply and searched for the hidden corrupt documents inside.

The moment anyone dared to move, the swords of the Imperial Palace Knights would draw from their sheaths.

Perhaps because of that, they were lucky enough to find documents that had been halted mid-burn and handed them over to the Inspection Department before heading to their next destination.

However, the same events unfolded at the next location.

Even if someone wanted to resist, with the Crown Prince personally present, they had no choice but to kneel quietly, while a few who dared to rebel were swiftly subdued by the Imperial Palace Knights.

“All that remains in the capital are just the chaff.”

Even a Count, once a prestigious name, barely mattered now.

Only those who strutted around flaunting their status as High Nobles.

“The real ones are all hiding in the suburbs.”

They didn’t want to risk being accused of treason by returning to their territories, so they had fled to the mansions set up in the suburbs.

Even Barons or Viscounts with a bit of power had hidden away in the central regions or outskirts of the capital.

They hoped to endure and avoid the Crown Prince’s gaze, waiting for the situation to settle down.

“I have to go capture them directly.”

“Your Highness, it’s dangerous.”

Talion cautioned, and the oddballs nearby echoed his concern.

Though considerably recovered, it was still a time for caution.

Moreover, there was a chance that Nobles who were sharpening their blades for Kariel might launch a surprise attack.

Feeling the dual meaning in Talion’s words, Kariel glanced back.

“Are the Imperial Palace Knights just for show?”

“However….”

Talion wore a worried expression.

Except for the knights who served the Emperor, only the elite had come out from the palace, and all the attendants were shadows from the past.

Moreover, these oddballs were noteworthy figures in their own rights.

If such individuals were involved, even an entire Count’s Knight Order wouldn’t stand a chance.

“Smashing the central region would speed things up in the provinces.”

Saying that, he lit up with ambition.

Kariel had already accepted some level of risk when he stepped outside the palace.

“However, there’s a high possibility that someone is targeting you right now.”

The Nobles, regardless of faction, weren’t likely to harbor good feelings towards Kariel after being thoroughly targeted.

It wouldn’t be surprising if troops disguised as the Emperor’s faction or Neutral faction aimed to assassinate him.

“So we need to prepare.”

When he finished speaking, Kariel handed a letter to one of his attendants.

“This is where I intend to go. Pass it to the Inspection Department. And contact the military to prepare for contingencies.”

“Knowing it’s dangerous….”

Talion said as he blocked the attendant.

“There must be spies in the military. There might be assassins lying in ambush wherever you move, Your Highness!”

“That’s exactly why we need to request support.”

Not only the military, but support was also requested from the palace.

Could they just sit by while the Crown Prince was in danger?

In the end, Talion couldn’t dissuade Kariel and moved toward the suburbs.

Loading the oddballs and Talion into the wagon, the rest mounted their horses, allowing them to swiftly escape the capital.

“It’s nothing special.”

At Arshuna’s remark, everyone subtly nodded in agreement.

Contrary to expectations, there weren’t any dangerous maneuvers, and they captured one by one as smoothly as in the capital. Gradually, the tension among them began to ease.

Among them, Arshuna showed the most extreme reaction.

Being a Mage, she exuded an air of boredom as she boarded the wagon.

“Yawn~.”

When Arshuna couldn’t contain her boredom and yawned, Kariel shot her a frosty gaze.

“If you’re going to be bored, why did you come?”

“Ah! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to… I had to work late last night, you know.”

Arshuna said with her lips pouting at Kariel’s scolding.

“Then why’re you following along? You could just take a nap.”

“To keep an eye on your movements and the shifts in fire energy….”

“Ah, forget it.”

“Gee!”

Kariel cut her off sharply as complicated words were about to come out.

“This is all for you, Your Highness….”

Seeing Arshuna sulk, Kariel clicked his tongue.

“Tsk! Save some budget instead.”

The moment the topic of money came up, Arshuna, who had been pouting, suddenly turned her gaze away to avoid looking at Kariel.

Seeing this, Kariel shook his head and looked at Brion this time.

“Brion, you’ve been spending funds rather generously too, haven’t you?”

“Ahem! There shouldn’t be too many expenses moving forward.”

“Really?”

“Yes! Please believe me.”

As Brion bowed his head like a knight pledging loyalty, Kariel sighed.

At least Iris was better.

Though she often had to visit the palace library for old books related to monsters and combat techniques, she didn’t spend budget like water.

“Um, Your Highness.”

“What is it?”

At Iris’s call, Kariel turned with an expression of annoyance.

Then she looked at him with a cautious look.

Her usual expression was usually indifferent or sulky, and now she had a different demeanor?

Feeling something was off, Kariel’s eyes narrowed.

“Um, since we’re out, can we stop by the auction house?”

“Sure, come back to the palace slowly.”

Considering it was a request that seemed trivial, Kariel readily agreed, but Iris shook her head slightly.

“Um… I need a bit of money.”

“What? Suddenly?”

Kariel glared at her as she spoke in a voice no bigger than a mosquito’s buzz, and sighed.

“W-what are you trying to buy that requires money?”

At Kariel’s question, Iris’s face lit up as she quickly explained.

“Um, it’s an old book that collects combat techniques of mercenaries.”

“Mercenaries?”

Kariel’s eyes narrowed.

The thought of spending money on junk made his expression slightly scrunch up.

Seeing that, Iris flinched and explained hastily.

“It’s really an important old book. It’s expected to be priced at over 100,000 gold….”

“What?”

“It’s incredibly important. It can help with your Body Technique too. I was going to try and pay for it myself, but it’s just too expensive….”

Kariel stopped in his tracks and quietly observed her for a moment.

The idea that something related to the techniques of mercenaries could be valued at 100,000 gold seemed absurd.

“Isn’t the combat techniques of mercenaries just low-level stuff?”

Kariel tilted his head in confusion.

At that, Iris leaned in closer and whispered in his ear.

“It contains the techniques of the Mercenary King Grek and his disciples.”

“What? For real?”

Kariel asked in surprise.

He was a figure still mentioned in the mercenary world as a legend, and his techniques were considered legendary too, so even Kariel, who studied Mana Cultivation Method in his previous life, had heard of him dozens of times.

“Yes. It’s nearly certain that it’s Grek’s technique book.”

“…Where did you hear that?”

“From the mercenary information network. Since he’s such a famous figure, it’s already spread throughout the mercenary world.”

At Iris’s words, Toto, who had been listening nearby, spoke with a solemn expression.

“Your Highness, you absolutely need to acquire this.”

Toto, now more serious than ever, earnestly pleaded, while Iris sparkled her eyes beside him as if to say, “Please buy it.”

As a powerful being who became a Master through the techniques of humanity, he understood well why Iris was so anxious.

Because he had perfected techniques suitable for a human body, Kariel understood it would be beneficial.

But why was Toto so invested?

“Why are you so concerned?”

“That figure is the pioneer of modern exercise.”

At Toto’s words, Kariel tilted his head.

“Pioneer?”

“He is the one who laid the groundwork for systematic exercise methods and muscle training….”

“Ah! I got it, so shut up.”

Kariel shot a frustrated glance at the oddballs.

No matter how important it was for his body, the budget seemed way too high for what they were doing.

Even Iris and Toto, who seemed relatively reasonable, were thinking of shelling out several times more than the money Brion and Arshuna were spending.

Kariel felt a headache coming on.

‘They say the quiet ones are more dangerous…’

As Kariel rubbed his temples, pondering how to manage this, Talion suddenly raised a finger to his lips.

Immediately, everyone, including the knights outside, hastily gathered their mana.

“An ambush?”

In this sudden situation, Kariel felt slight apprehension and quietly asked Talion.

Talion shook his head slightly.

An action indicating uncertainty made Kariel furrow his brow.

But after being together for so long, he knew from just Talion’s expression that it was nearly certain.

“Those lunatics.”

He had suspected it might happen.

If he showed an opening, it was possible they could pounce like ghosts and launch an ambush.

But he never imagined they would actually go for it.

“To think they would plan to assassinate me, breaching the Imperial Palace Knights and the Shadows…. They’re truly insane.”

As Kariel muttered that, the tension inside the wagon and among the surrounding knights rose.