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Crown Prince Wishes to Retire

2. Contract

The contract with a mythical existence, which I thought would take longer than expected. Yet, as it seemed to be progressing faster than anticipated, the previously relaxed Kariel became busy.

He had planned to buy time searching for the werewolf’s Body Technique while slowly getting to know the mythical existence, but the order had changed.

‘Is it a blessing that Surth’s relic is cursed?’

Due to the powerful curse, it was treated as a useless item even in the Imperial Palace, making it relatively easy to access.

Although he was merely a nominal Crown Prince, his authority proved to be stronger than he had imagined. He had quite significant access to a high level of the palace’s treasure vault.

‘It might be hard to take it out, but at least I can see it.’

With that thought, Kariel nodded to himself.

The remaining treasures of Surth in the Imperial Palace included not the world-destroying fire sword, the heart of the giant, or the essence of Muspel, but merely a necklace said to contain a fraction of Surth’s power.

This necklace held the minuscule remnants of a power so great it could make even gods tremble.

However, the curse emanating from it was so potent that it held no value as a treasure.

It was kept merely for its symbolic significance, as a relic from an existence that once declared the end of the Mythical Age.

‘If it were a Holy Nation relic, it would have been stuffed away and sealed up tight.’

Kariel thought to himself, chuckling slightly. He felt that the God had been more meticulous than he expected.

If it had been a precious treasure, access would have been difficult. But a cursed relic could be approached by someone in his current state.

Ding!

A bell summoning an attendant outside rang, and Talion personally opened the door.

“I’m heading out.”

“You should rest a bit longer.”

“I just want to take a light stroll around the palace.”

Talion sighed at Kariel’s words.

“Understood.”

With a sigh, Talion responded and asked Kariel, “Do you have a destination in mind?”

“Report to the Imperial Palace.”

“……Pardon?”

At Kariel’s answer, surprise flickered in Talion’s eyes.

“Why are you suddenly wanting to report to the Imperial Palace…?”

‘It’s related to my recovery.’

Kariel merely moved his lips in response, but Talion, who had attended to him for so long, recognized it immediately, and his eyes trembled.

Despite running around tirelessly to restore Kariel’s health, there had been no improvement whatsoever.

All they could do was suppress the fire energy with various medicines and halt the disease’s progression.

And in exchange, he had to live with limited mana use in a feeble body for the rest of his life.

‘It’s not definitive.’

Kariel’s response made Talion nod slightly.

Looking at the piles of books stacked in the room, it seemed Kariel had found an answer, but Talion held no real expectations.

There was no way he could find an answer in just a few days of research.

He thought it was commendable that Kariel was moving, not lying down in despair.

“Prepare.”

“Yes.”

As Talion responded, he stepped outside to prepare for Kariel’s outing.

Due to his poor health, Kariel had to ride in a wagon even to move around the palace.

Even a brief visit to the garden inside the Crown Prince’s Palace required him to get into a specially crafted palanquin; he was in that bad of shape.

So there was much to prepare.

“All set.”

When Talion reported that the preparations were complete, Kariel cautiously stepped out of the room.

“Be careful. Oh dear! Always safety! Safety….”

“I got it. Just be quiet.”

Kariel chided Talion, who was babbling beside him, and heaved a sigh as he climbed into the wagon.

The frail Crown Prince needed Talion’s help just to get onto the wagon.

That was the current state of Kariel.

‘Damn body.’

Kariel gritted his teeth as he got into the wagon.

The craftsmanship of the artisans was evident; there was no jarring sensation commonly felt in a wagon, but the unfamiliar environment washed over him with fatigue.

‘That past life was a real grind.’

As Kariel contemplated, he reflected on his previous life.

He had devoted himself to recovery until he became the Emperor, just managing to restore his body enough to function like a person.

Of course, such achievements would have been impossible without Talion’s dedication.

Lost in various thoughts, the wagon swiftly arrived at its destination.

“Your Highness!”

As a knight at the Imperial Palace acknowledged him with a salute, everyone nearby bowed.

No matter how sickly the Crown Prince was, he was still royalty.

Even if he were a weak Crown Prince, in an empire where the royal authority was crumbling, that only held significance for the high nobles.

“Your Highness, what brings you here today?”

An Inner Court Attendant responsible for the Imperial Palace approached Kariel, bowing and speaking.

At that, Kariel’s brow furrowed.

Seeing the attendant arrive late and act as if he were the owner of the place twisted Kariel’s mood.

As previously mentioned, no matter how far the royal authority had fallen, a royal was still a royal.

For most people, the royal family remained an extraordinary presence, but a few did not share that perspective.

Those were the High Nobles.

They intruded into the gaps left by the crumbling imperial authority, thinking themselves superior to the royalty, or those who acted as if they were royalty themselves.

“Do I need to report to you to come here?”

At Kariel’s question, the attendant’s eyes widened in shock.

“Th-that’s not it… I wish we could have served you better if we had received prior notice of your visit….”

“Which household are you affiliated with?”

Kariel’s question silenced the attendant.

He instinctively realized that a wrong answer could lead to serious trouble.

“Answer me.”

“Be-be, belonging to the Beriot family….”

“Emperor faction.”

Before the attendant could finish his response, Kariel’s expression darkened as he shot a cold gaze at him.

Those scoundrels who borrowed the authority of the royal family to gnaw away at the empire.

The attendant returned a similar expression of displeasure, appearing as if he just wanted to survive this moment, bowing yet filled with annoyance.

Seeing that, Talion looked as though he wanted to kill the attendant on the spot, but he held back in front of Kariel.

“Talion.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Request a change of the person in charge here to the Emperor.”

“Y-Your Highness!”

At Kariel’s words, the attendant abruptly lifted his head and shouted.

Talion’s expression contorted.

How dare he raise his voice, let alone meet the Crown Prince’s gaze! Such a thing would have been unthinkable back when the imperial authority was strong.

“Quiet down.”

As Kariel gestured dismissively, Talion immediately knelt the attendant down.

Then, the attendants quickly covered the attendant’s mouth.

As the attendant attempted to resist by using his mana, it was promptly thwarted.

All the attendants of the Crown Prince’s Palace were not just regular attendants but had special backgrounds.

“Anyone who dares to shout at the royalty and act rudely cannot be a high-ranking attendant.”

“I’ll be sure to request that.”

As Talion bowed his head in response, Kariel looked down at the kneeling attendant and asked, “Are you feeling wronged?”

At his question, the attendant flinched.

However, all that remained was confusion; he felt neither fear nor urgency.

He only desperately wished for this unbearable moment to pass swiftly.

“Do you think that once this moment passes, it will all be forgotten?”

Once again, looking coldly at the flinching attendant, Kariel spoke.

“You think my request will be thwarted by the nobles’ opposition. This so-called opinion of a powerless Crown Prince will simply be dismissed.”

As Kariel said that, he regarded the attendant with an expression devoid of emotion.

Then, as if his thoughts had been read, the attendant’s eyes began to tremble.

“I’ll personally ensure you get demoted to the provinces. Even a powerless Crown Prince can show that he can demote you.”

Kariel smiled innocently as he said this.

At that moment, the attendant’s expression twisted.

That was when he realized he was truly in deep trouble.

“Then you really should think things through. Did you think I’d overlook your late arrival while pretending to be busy? Or that I wouldn’t notice your subtle rudeness?”

As Kariel posed the questions, the attendant’s eyes began to tremble.

Despite knowing his wagon was headed this way, he feigned busyness, showing up late and then acting rudely upon receiving him; all of it was dangerously close to crossing the line.

Depending on the situation, it could have been excused with just a warning.

However, Kariel had no intention of doing that.

With the Crown Prince position likely to be taken from him soon, he was in no mood to worry about reputation.

“I will show everyone what happens to those who dare to test the royal family while relying on the Emperor faction. So take pride; you will be the one to announce the severity of the imperial authority…”

With those words, Kariel entered the Imperial Palace report hall, where the attendant behind him stammered out excuses to no avail as the attendants of the Crown Prince’s Palace swiftly restrained him.

As that arrogant attendant found himself in a bind with Kariel, the nearby attendants began to tremble.

Ignoring them, Kariel walked into the report hall when another attendant approached, trembling.

“Um, Your Highness, the treasures inside the report hall require His Majesty’s consent to….”

At the attendant’s words, Kariel quietly observed him.

“Of course, it is possible to borrow from what’s inside the report hall! Depending on the criteria, a portion from the 4th hall… No, some from the 3rd hall would be acceptable….”

“Tsk! I’ll only be looking around. Does that work for you?”

At Kariel’s words, the attendant trembled as he swallowed and cautiously began to speak.

“2, 2nd hall is fine, but from the 1st hall….”

“I know. I won’t go into His Majesty’s treasure vault.”

The 1st hall of the report hall.

Only the Emperor could enter there, and only the Emperor could take items out.

Except for that, as the Crown Prince, he could roam freely throughout the report hall.

“Stay here.”

“Yes.”

Giving the command to Talion to wait at the door, Kariel stepped into the grand report hall.

Just walking a short distance made him gasp for breath, and he grimaced while surveying his surroundings.

The massive size of the report hall.

As he gazed at the countless treasures lying dormant within it, Kariel sighed.

How he regretted that he had not been there when it was raided during his reign as Emperor.

Rebellions, monster invasions, demon incursions.

The report hall had seen no peace through multiple attacks.

Moreover, many treasures had been sold due to lack of funds.

“There are quite a few.”

Despite the imperial authority plummeting, Kariel momentarily admired the sturdy report hall before quickly moving on.

From the 4th hall, accessible to regular royals, to the 3rd hall, visible only to direct descendants of the royal family, and finally reaching the 2nd hall, where both the Crown Prince and Emperor could freely tread.

“Is that a shadow?”

A man in a black mask, blocking his path, bowed and lowered his head.

Even without responding, Kariel nodded, as if he understood.

That was the original nature of shadows…

“I have no intention of entering the 1st hall, so relax.”

Saying this, Kariel surveyed the area.

As if he had truly come to view treasures, he looked around, but the shadow reappeared.

“…It’s dangerous there.”

A special room filled exclusively with cursed artifacts.

Looking at the shadow blocking his way, Kariel spoke in a serious tone.

“I’ll handle my own affairs; you should focus on your duty.”

“Yes, sir!”

The shadow replied curtly and promptly vanished.

Seeing that, Kariel smiled faintly.

No matter how the world assessed him, the shadow did not care.

Their loyalty to their Emperor was genuine, and their loyalty to the future Emperor, the Crown Prince, was likewise.

Thus, Kariel chuckled subtly at the shadow’s display and entered the cursed room.

And just at that moment, a voice whispered in his ear.

—Let’s make a contract!