The Prince Wants to Retire

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The Crown Prince Wants to Retire

The Side Story 4. Problematic New Continent? (2)

Today, Kariel sighed as he made it through another day safely.

“I definitely don’t remember it being like this at the start…”

When he first met Aila in the Principality, he hadn’t thought much of it. Just a capable woman who was a bit unique, right?

He had probably been too preoccupied with the myriad of tasks at hand to care more.

But regardless of the past, they were married now; instead of enjoying the honeymoon, he was drowning in work after returning from their travels, and guilt began to pile up.

Thus, he found himself thinking about it more often, only to realize that, without even feeling guilty, his gaze often wandered in Aila’s direction.

“Am I doomed to be captured like the ministers?”

Kariel muttered this as he sighed and looked up at the sky.

The Empress had never been angry with him.

However, the strange feeling of disappointment and the occasional glare made him involuntarily shrink back.

“I should ask the ministers later.”

Surely, the veterans of long marriages would offer excellent advice on how to overcome the current crisis.

Following this peculiar line of thought, he focused all his nervous energy on the New Continent.

In the meantime, Kariel’s Office was cluttered with existing information and maps about the New Continent.

He filled his office with information about the New Continent, just as he had done when making plans for the East Continent.

“…This is tough.”

He’d boldly stated it to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, but the truth was, the issues surrounding the New Continent were indeed challenging.

If he led Ignit’s top-tier forces and struck the New Continent, they would likely win.

But the problem lay beyond that.

As the Minister of Foreign Affairs had worried, the islands of the South Continent feared being invaded themselves, and that would inevitably affect diplomacy and the global trade network.

Thus, some form of intimidation was necessary at a ‘suitable level.’

In short, just scaring them.

“How far should I go?”

Taking on a much more difficult task than randomly smashing things, Kariel pondered all night.

‘How can I best handle the New Continent so that it gets the right kind of notice?’

‘Should I completely smash Kaba to send a warning?’

‘Or should I pressure them through trade?’

‘What if I assassinate some high-ranking officials with Grand Masters?’

After contemplating various strategies, the next day, Kariel shared his thoughts with his ministers.

“So, you mean to say that His Majesty plans to employ every means of intimidation available to Ignit?”

The Minister of Finance smirked while nodding at Kariel.

“Older Brother… I mean, Your Majesty. If you go down this path, Ignit’s reputation will plummet.”

Rufiel’s words drew nods from the other ministers.

“So, let’s work on creating a favorable image. Talion.”

“Yes.”

As previously ordered, Talion prepared a plan to completely destroy the image of the New Continent.

“Minister of Internal Affairs.”

“I’ve already started preliminary work by this evening.”

To persuade Empire Citizens, the Minister of Internal Affairs personally mobilized the bureaucrats.

Though everyone found it hard after a long night, they all returned to work right after the night shift, knowing that a sure reward awaited them later.

“Alright. I’ll schedule my trip to the New Continent as soon as possible.”

“However… Your Majesty. Rushing could lead to mistakes.”

Kariel nodded knowingly at Rufiel’s warning.

“I know. But we don’t have time.”

Signs of issues were already beginning to appear worldwide, which he was not yet aware of.

There’s a saying about nipping problems in the bud before they grow too large. It was better to endure hardships now than risk a major calamity like the Grand War later on.

“I’ll make it seem like I’m personally going to persuade the countries of the New Continent.”

“Taking a quick departure but planning to move slowly, is it?”

Upon noticing the crafty approach, Chancellor Luther raised an eyebrow, and Kariel nodded.

Soon, the other ministers started catching on to the core of Kariel’s plan:

1. The Emperor of Ignit is visiting the New Continent for peace on the continent.

2. Simultaneously, he will subtly hint at dealings with the New Continent within Ignit.

3. When public opinion shifts, Ignit will launch pressure and persuasion operations toward the New Continent.

4. If they refuse to comply, all options for attacking the New Continent will be on the table.

This was how Kariel planned to proceed sequentially.

“After all, Ignit is only acting for the peace of the world.”

As Kariel spoke, ministers and Rufiel nodded in agreement.

In truth, for Ignit, this was genuinely for global peace. Though revered as a god, that giant serpent was no different from a monster in Ignit’s eyes.

Thus, confronting a potential threat was justification enough, especially as a means to resolve the worldwide troubles.

The New Continent, on the other hand, might be hoping to alleviate unfair trade during this opportunity, but Ignit had no obligation to comply.

Every nation had its circumstances.

If they were unhappy, they could strengthen themselves or enhance their technology.

“What happens if we pressure the countries of the New Continent further?”

“The nobles of the New Continent may not know, but the citizens will truly suffer,” replied the Minister of Finance, presenting the average income data from the New Continent’s citizens.

Their wages were less than one-tenth of those in Ignit.

Moreover, they sold most of their food production to Ignit, leading to bad conditions for food supplies as well.

Only the ruling class got well-fed.

“It’s unfortunate, but it can’t be helped,” Kariel stated firmly, and the ministers nodded solemnly.

The situation was critical.

They had no spare capacity to care for the citizens of other nations. It was undoubtedly unfortunate, but it was a problem for them to solve themselves.

Ignit had also emerged from its dark age and surpassed being treated like a fool to unify the West Continent, so the New Continent must rise on its own as well.

Moreover, Kariel harbored ill feelings toward the New Continent.

“Do you remember how they acted when we were struggling?”

At Kariel’s query, the ministers’ eyes widened before they nodded.

They recalled how, while they fought fiercely against the demons and the hell problems in the East Continent, the New Continent responded.

That behavior was unforgettable.

The indifference they displayed when the situation did not concern them directly, only sending supplies when the problems grew global.

Most notably, they never sent reinforcements until the war was over.

“While the nobles may be rotten, I heard that most citizens of the New Continent refused to take part in the Grand War.”

As Kariel spoke this far, the ministers’ expressions changed.

Especially, Luther, who had shown the greatest transformation.

His sympathy for the citizens of the New Continent vanished as he remembered the hardships he had endured.

“Be bright and thoroughly so! Understand?”

“Yes!”

At Kariel’s command, all the ministers and Rufiel bowed their heads and replied before rising from their seats.

*

And the very next day,

“Remnants of the Past causing issues worldwide. Is the war not over yet?”

“Strange phenomena have been continuously observed due to the remnants of the past!”

To lay the groundwork, Talion moved subtly.

He leaked confidential information, laying bait for journalists, who rushed in like moths to a flame, eager for scoop headlines.

Following that, the military began to act.

“It’s more serious than expected! There’s a high possibility that something as severe as the Grand War could occur.”

The Empire Citizens wore serious expressions in response to this military expert’s assessment.

However, reactions from some nations differed.

Merchants and some nations, having learned of the New Continent’s cunning plans, believed Ignit was merely putting on a show.

Some even claimed the Emperor was working to abdicate the throne himself.

Yet this atmosphere soon shifted dramatically.

“The Emperor Himself is traveling directly to the New Continent!”

As news broke that Kariel was personally heading to the New Continent, people were thrown into confusion.

And other nations were similarly startled.

“The Ignit Emperor is setting out for the New Continent to investigate the strange phenomena!”

“A global crisis rumor is swirling! Is it true?”

With many pondering, Kariel finally boarded the airship heading to the New Continent.

Meanwhile, the opinions of numerous experts who had thought Ignit was merely putting on a show began to change.

“Is it real?”

“Right?”

Many people from foreign nations began to take the Empire’s announcement seriously, yet some remained skeptical.

“Not sure yet. The Ignit Emperor is cunning; this could also be a show.”

“Exactly. According to information from the New Continent, the Ignit Emperor supposedly requested a meeting with their god.”

“The Ignit Emperor might harbor ambitions to become a true ‘god’ himself.”

As Ignit waged a war on public opinion, the New Continent countered.

Knowing they weren’t going to sit idly by, they engaged in their own opinion warfare.

The New Continent’s journalists framing it as driven by the Emperor’s personal greed.

But they were inexperienced.

Compared to Ignit, which had been established for a long time and had honed its government through battles since Kariel’s days as Crown Prince, the New Continent was still merely a young nation.

“Is the announcement set for today?”

“Yes,” Luther replied with a nod to Rufiel’s inquiry.

Framing the matter as the Emperor’s personal obsession.

The solution was simple.

“We will now reveal all information the Empire has gathered to date.”

The military minister announced from the podium.

Predictions founded on extensive data and dangerous videos captured in the Image Sphere were revealed one by one, sending journalists into a state of shock.

“As you see, those remnants of the past are only part of the problem. It’s the mutated monsters that have eaten them or animals that have consumed their remains. That is the real issue.”

The revelations were shocking enough on their own, but Ignit’s government had decided to disclose everything.

Gates suspected to lead to other dimensions opened, revealing mutated monsters and remnants of the past that fed on the very essence seeping from them.

It was evident what would happen if left unchecked.

As the military minister concluded his announcement, a heavy silence enveloped the room.

“Is this… really true?”

“Yes.”

At the journalist’s question, the minister of military answered without hesitation.

“It is absolutely not because of the Emperor’s personal greed that His Majesty is leading the military to the New Continent, contrary to rumors.”

With that statement, the military minister drew a long breath.

The next words would be nerve-wracking even for the experienced military official.

“All current movements of the Empire are for the sake of the world. As you’ve all seen, time is of the essence. The world is currently at risk comparable to the past Grand War. The Ignit government intends to find solutions and will deploy all possible means. If…”

The military minister paused briefly, glancing at the journalists.

The chilling intensity in his gaze made the journalists swallow hard.

“His Majesty’s command is that anyone who interferes with the Empire’s steps toward peace should receive no mercy. I hope you make a wise choice.”

With those words, the military minister stepped down from the podium.

His declaration that they would not shy away from war shocked all present.

What he implied was simple.

‘Don’t exploit this situation. If you persist, the Empire will not hesitate to go to war.’

The announcement was essentially a declaration of war, leaving the gathered journalists hurriedly sending this information back to their home countries.

And all the while, up in the airship, Kariel couldn’t help but smile.

“Now! What choice will you make?”

Kariel murmured under his breath as he looked sternly ahead.

Honestly, if this were the end, he might have considered conceding a bit to the New Continent.

If unfair trade continued for an extended period, it would eventually lead to poor diplomatic relations when the technological gap with the New Continent narrowed.

Taking this into account, he did consider reducing the advantages taken by Ignit slowly.

However, if the New Continent made a different decision?

“Please… make a wise decision.”