The Prince Wants to Retire

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Epilogue

The Emperor, revered as the ‘God’ of Ignit, awoke.

At the same time, the long-awaited ‘Declaration of War’s End’ was made all at once.

Though the massive war was over, the high taxes and conscription that had persisted could finally come to an end.

The people erupted in cheers.

What thrilled the citizens of the Ignit Empire the most was the restoration of the Empire’s status.

“Grand Master Glen in Coma”

“Grand Master Sicario Marquis in Coma”

“Master Salvatore Seriously Injured (Recovery Period Unknown)”

“Mage Duke Welch Internal Injury (Recovery Period 4 Years)”

“Master Achelio Critical Wound to Right Arm (Recovery Period 3 Years)”

Most of the major forces above Master Class had been injured and needed recovery, and even the remaining Masters were not in normal condition.

Excluding Talion, the Leader of the Shadows, everyone was in a situation needing rest due to internal injuries.

With the overwhelming force of Ignit’s major powers incapacitated, their status as a united nation over the West Continent had weakened.

Moreover, with Kariel—the one revered as a God—lost in consciousness, it was understandable that the East Continent saw an opportunity.

In such a context, Kariel returned.

“Waaaaah!”

Kariel, who had declared the end of war as announced in the public press, headed to the square to see the citizens.

Amidst the cheers of countless people, Kariel walked towards the square with a smile.

However, deep inside, his anguish burned.

As if sensing Kariel’s inner turmoil, Surth appeared and whispered in his ear.

– “Doesn’t retirement feel a bit wrong?”

Kariel glared at Surth’s teasing but managed to smile again while waving to the crowd.

Yet he couldn’t hide the tremor in his eyes.

Just as Surth had said, it seemed that retirement would not come easily for Kariel.

‘How burdensome.’

The major forces above Master Class were severely injured, and even Ignit’s troops were overflowing in the sick bay.

In such a situation, would Kariel suddenly declare his retirement while the citizens rejoiced at his awakening?

Kariel’s tiny shred of conscience wouldn’t allow that.

‘First, I should tie up Rufiel.’

He planned to restrain Crown Prince Rufiel, and if need be, even Seriel, and then slowly set about his retirement plans.

To do this, he first needed to restore the Empire’s lowered status.

As the first step, Kariel, standing in the square, gazed at the countless citizens looking at him.

Though frontline soldiers in the War for Humanity’s Survival had undoubtedly struggled the most, the Empire’s citizens were not free from sacrifice.

High taxes, working day and night to produce military supplies, and even children who should have been playing were conscripted.

A victory achieved through the sacrifices of all.

Thus, rather than grandiose declarations, this one phrase was necessary.

“You all have worked hard.”

Consolation from one revered as a God of the Empire.

At those words, tears streamed from the citizens.

Instead of cheers, everyone burst into tears, comforted in their hardships.

“It’s all over now. From today, the Empire will soar to greater heights. We will rewrite humanity’s history, and for the future, we shall become a strong nation that no being will dare to overlook.”

The Emperor, promising a brilliant future.

At the sight of him, all the citizens ceased their tears and burst into cheers.

Merely ending the hellish Dark Age would have solidified his accomplishments as a sage king, yet he had even protected humanity and transcended the status of the First Emperor.

The Emperor, whom everyone believed in, did not merely make glossy promises.

Laws enacted through his ministers.

With the end of war, taxes would be drastically lowered, and the delayed welfare would gradually be raised.

Above all, benefits for those sacrificed in the war would also be raised incrementally according to the Empire’s recovery, as shown in the documents he presented.

“Waaaaah!”

Rather than empty promises, the Emperor showed substantial commitments adorned with his imperial seal.

Thus, the citizens cheered.

Despite the war’s end, he couldn’t promise immediate benefits due to post-war recovery.

However, the citizens did not express their dissatisfaction strongly.

Had someone else made promises about increasing benefits alongside the recovery of national power, they might not have believed it and would have been enraged, but since it was the Emperor who promised it, they accepted it.

“Declaration of Ignit’s End of War! Is full-scale intervention in the East Continent about to begin?”

While the Emperor’s revival and the declaration of the war’s end was joyous news for the Empire’s citizens, it was not for the East Continent.

If the powerful Ignit officially intervened in the East Continent, countries that had not yet stabilized their reclaimed territories could plunge into chaos.

However, contrary to their concerns, Ignit did not pay any heed to the East Continent.

They devoted all their strength solely to recovering their national power and focused on internal affairs.

Months passed.

*

“Your Majesty.”

“······ Huh, I’m envious.”

Kariel, gazing at the old men, began to feel envious.

One was Chancellor Winston, who had continually held onto his position while delaying retirement.

The other was the Attendant Hall’s Leader, who had served Kariel.

“Are you leaving too?”

“I believe it is now time to depart.”

The secrets that the Secret Guardians had kept were now meaningless.

They had completely put an end to the extinction of humanity that even the First Emperor could not perfectly address.

Moreover, with an Emperor who had established the most stable Empire in history, the elders of the Secret Guardians unanimously declared their retirement.

The Attendant brought the resignations from these elders.

“I’m still far from it…”

The two old men averted their eyes from Kariel, who looked envious.

“Ahem!”

“Cough, cough!”

As the Attendant and Winston cleared their throats, Kariel sighed before giving his permission for their resignations.

“Congratulations on becoming free.”

Looking at the genuinely congratulatory Kariel, Winston bestowed a gentle smile.

Finally, they could escape the tiresome Imperial Palace.

Once the resignation was granted, a bittersweet feeling arose, but that was only momentary.

Fearing that they might linger and be caught, the Chancellor left in haste.

The same went for the Attendant Hall’s elderly members of the Secret Guardians.

“The Chancellor has become free!”

As expected of the Imperial Palace, the news spread like wildfire among the courtiers, and even the older ministers began to feel a spark of hope.

Of course, their resignation requests were returned faster than light.

“You still need to work.”

Kariel replied resolutely.

His firm refusal deterred not just the higher ministers but also the junior bureaucrats from daring to request resignations for some time.

While everyone was shed blood, sweat, and tears amid document hell alongside Kariel, the Empire began to flourish.

Not wanting to suffer alone, Kariel dragged the Central Bureaucrats into the torments of work.

Although they had hoped for Kariel’s return more than anyone, faced with the hellish workload, they began to curse the Emperor whenever they gathered.

And it was the same with his siblings.

“Brother, you are truly too much.”

Even the exceptionally kind Miriel was grumbling about Kariel, creating quite a desirable situation.

Thanks to that, life for the Empire’s citizens was gradually improving.

The previously lacking food was swiftly restored, and the welfare of the Empire’s citizens expanded rapidly.

Just like the saying, “If those above work hard, those below will be at ease,” with the high-ranking bureaucrats working like dogs, a situation arose where the citizens of the Empire were at ease.

Thus, with the bureaucrats expended on the recovery of national power, two years passed again.

“Your Majesty!”

A young man, newly appointed as the Attendant, called out to Kariel with urgency.

“What is it!”

Responding with a solemn voice as if he had been doing the duties of the Emperor for years, he looked at the Attendant.

“Lord Glen has awakened!”

At the Attendant’s report, Kariel’s face lit up with a smile.

“It took a long time.”

Unlike Marquis Sicario, who awoke earlier, Glen had finally awakened after being the last one remaining asleep.

With the rapid progress of the medical system, even the last pillar holding up the Empire had recovered.

As a result, most of the major forces of the Empire had returned.

“Phew… Is it finally time to implement my plan?”

Muttering those words, Kariel sent the attendant away and pressed a button on his desk to activate the apparatus.

Moments later, a hidden compartment in the study opened, revealing the secret plans that Kariel had crafted.

The time had finally come to realize Kariel’s retirement plans.

– “Was it a close call?”

“Indeed.”

If Glen had taken even a little longer to wake up, his siblings would have undoubtedly retired before him.

How could it have been possible? He was the Emperor!

“…”

Once again, a proposal regarding Kariel’s marriage flew into his hands.

As expected of the continent’s best suitor, the number of would-be brides had surged to over a hundred.

It started with a simple request to meet just one bride, but it escalated quickly to hundreds.

Wasn’t that a bit too little for an Emperor?

All the brides were children of the highest society on the continent.

Even Master Chardonnay had presented herself as a potential bride.

All of this was the result of his siblings’ schemes.

The moment Kariel married, Rufiel would immediately decide to retire and hand over the burdensome military power back to Kariel while Seriel buzzed around, endlessly raising it as an agenda in Grand Council Meetings.

Even Miriel was planning to transfer all administration of the Imperial Palace to the Empress once she appeared.

“It feels like just yesterday that you said you would help your brother…”

– “Looks like it’s time for Miriel to know everything.”

Was it because she realized that remaining in the Imperial Palace would lead to trouble?

It seemed Miriel was subtly yearning to escape the palace, too.

“Why is it that while others are vying for power, our family is like this?”

Surth looked at Kariel as if to say, “Don’t you truly know?”

Struggling to ignore Surth’s gaze, Kariel quietly sighed and began to hastily prepare his retirement plan.

With Glen awakening, the military strength of the Empire was perfectly restored.

In the meantime, the nations of the East Continent had also swiftly regained military strength, and candidates above Master Class had increased, but compared to Ignit, they were but small nations.

With two Grand Masters awakened, there was no longer any cause for concern.

Thus, Kariel resolved to swiftly make Rufiel the Emperor and shift into retirement.

The justification was simple.

“We still have to deal with the Demon Gate, which we have yet to fully eliminate, right?”

As soon as he spoke, Surth stared intently at Kariel.

Then, as if waiting for the moment, Skoll and Agni revealed themselves.

– “Now is the time to fulfill our wishes.”

At Surth’s words, Agni and Skoll gazed intently at Kariel.

Though they claimed it wasn’t difficult, why did it feel so unsettling?

Regardless, they had to keep their promises, and they agreed to Kariel’s suggestion, but the moment the summoned beings’ smiles deepened, it resembled the wicked grin they wore when they had played tricks on the previous Chancellor and Central Bureaucrats.

Yet that was not the priority.

He had to proceed with the retirement first, so meticulously executed his plan.

*

“Newly appointed Head of the Imperial Palace Knights! Duke Glen Brittany de Benelux!”

“Newly appointed Chancellor Luther W Bismarck!”

“Commander of the Military Seriel, Commander of the West District appointed!”

Kariel swiftly appointed key personnel and gathered the older ministers late at night.

And a few days later.

“It is only right that the young lead in the new future. From today, I aim to transfer all authority to the Crown Prince and step down.”

At Kariel’s words, bureaucrats immediately opposed.

However, the ministers, representing them, stood silently with erect postures.

Kariel smiled at their response.

“By the way, I believe the ministers should also follow suit. If there is an appropriate person to pass the position to, I am willing to approve the ministers’ resignations as well.”

Amidst an ambiguous atmosphere, the blushing Rufiel quickly knelt and protested that it shouldn’t happen, but the situation had already turned in Kariel’s favor.

The ministers had already taken the bait of retiring, and it seemed no one would stop Kariel’s resignation.

“Absolutely not!”

“Your Majesty! Please lead us!”

Outside, the citizens vehemently protested against Kariel’s retirement.

– “Looks like your retirement is all but gone, huh?”

“······.”

At Surth’s remark, Kariel remained silent, gazing at the sky.

While Kariel was enticing the ministers to craft his retirement plans, Rufiel was winning over the citizens and nobles.

– “Isn’t this situation eerily familiar?”

“What?”

– “It’s like what happened during your days as Crown Prince.”

At Surth’s words, Kariel recalled that time.

When corrupt bureaucrats banded together to obstruct him, he turned the citizens and public opinion against them; now it was Rufiel doing the same to block his retirement.

– “Seems like your retirement will take longer than expected.”

As Surth shook his head, the other summoned beings shared the sentiment.

– “I suppose we should head out first.”

“······Where to?”

Kariel asked, tilting his head when he heard Surth’s words.

– “I plan to look for traces of Muspel.”

“Traces?”

– “Yeah. Just as remnants of the past linger on the continent, Muspel’s underlings might still be out there. I need to deal with them; we can’t keep suffering forever.”

Surth sought peace for the subordinates awakened against their will.

Skoll’s desire was akin; he sought the traces of his brother, Hati.

Agni, too, wished to discover remnants of ancient high spirits like himself.

Normally, Kariel would have needed to accompany them, but when he saw the direction things were heading, it looked like his retirement would be impossible in the short term, prompting them to prepare to leave alone.

This was all contingent on Kariel granting them freedom.

“Hey, are you all just going off without me?”

– “The contract remains intact. We’ll return if needed.”

“No, I…”

Kariel intended to say they would retire together, but Surth and the summoned beings shook their heads.

“Your retirement is done for!” they seemed to convey as Kariel gritted his teeth.

“Phew… Just go ahead first. I’ll catch up soon.”

As Kariel spoke, the summoned beings nodded, smiling.

However, contrary to what he promised them, Kariel’s retirement plans continued to be delayed.

The fierce contest between Kariel and Rufiel over retirement waged on due to the political acumen Rufiel had developed while Kariel grew in power.

Notably, despite Kariel and Rufiel’s competing retirement battles, both managed to tie up their loose ends.

Today, the ministers, having addressed urgent matters in the Grand Council, began to divide into factions.

“The last agenda for today. Let’s discuss the Emperor’s retirement.”

New Chancellor Luther shook his head in exasperation as he brought up the last item for today’s meeting.

‘Today must be the day!’

With a firm resolution to retire, Kariel faced off against the ministers.

And emerging opposing was the newly risen faction.

Both groups battled intensely, as “The Crown Prince desires to retire” came to a close.