The Prince Wants to Retire

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The Crown Prince Wishes to Retire

21. Finally, Retirement! (2)

With the knights preparing for the ceremony, flower petals fluttered, and fireworks erupted along the path taken by the Crown Prince’s carriage.

It felt as extravagant as a parade for a grand procession.

Even Kariel, who lived lavishly in the Crown Prince’s Palace, felt overwhelmed by the grandiosity of the retirement ceremony.

“This is… something feels off.”

Kariel sensed something unusual but had to push it away.

This was the retirement ceremony he had long desired.

His heart strongly urged him to enjoy the moment, so he silently smiled while gazing out the window.

The gates of the Imperial Palace were temporarily opened just for today.

Perhaps because of that, a massive crowd gathered along Kariel’s path.

“Your Highness! We’ll miss you!”

“Thank you for your hard work!”

People expressed their regrets and offered condolences for his labor.

Everyone in the Empire knew of Kariel’s ill health and how he had struggled over the past year.

That’s why they also understood how much he wanted to retire.

It wasn’t that they felt no regrets about him leaving, but they recognized his genuine wish to retire, so they let him go with heavy hearts.

With a smile, Kariel waved at those who wished him to rest well after his hardships.

Radiating a brighter smile than usual, Kariel received cheers as he arrived at the Grand Hall.

“I greet Your Highness.”

As the deputy commander of the Imperial Palace Knights bowed in salute, the Shadows emerged around the palace.

Simultaneously, the Central Knight Order and the Capital Defense Knight Order released their auras in unison to welcome him.

Entering the Grand Hall, Kariel received the honors due to a hero of the Empire, with all the ministers and high nobles present, alongside the Counts of the Border, who rarely gathered in one place. The leaders of various nations were also seated nearby.

An array of impressive figures that could make anyone gasp in awe.

“Proceed with the retirement ceremony!”

As the Emperor’s orders rang throughout the Grand Hall, the retirement ceremony began.

Walking down the red carpet, Kariel reached the Emperor and knelt on one knee.

“For the last time, I ask! Do you feel any regret about retiring?”

“That’s right.”

His resolute answer drew sighs of regret from the nearby nobles.

Yet, some breathed sighs of relief.

Amidst these conflicting reactions, the Emperor continued.

“Despite bearing the burdens of a sickly body, you have made great achievements in punishing corrupt nobles and eradicating Dark Mages. Therefore, I wish to bestow upon you the highest honor of the Empire, the Sun Medal.”

“…Your Majesty.”

“Even though you have accomplished so much, you wish to step down for the sake of your brothers, which is truly commendable; therefore, do not refuse this medal!”

Under the Emperor’s orders, Kariel had no choice but to lower his head and say,

“I am deeply grateful for Your Majesty’s grace.”

Then, he rose as he took the hand that the Emperor personally offered, silently watching as the medal was draped around his neck.

The Sun Medal, the highest honor of the Empire, couldn’t just be given at the Emperor’s whim.

It required the approval of more than half the nobles and the agreement of the ministers and Counts of the Border.

Since the Emperor was personally awarding such a medal, refusing was not an option.

‘Something feels off.’

The strange feeling had been there since the ceremony began.

But Kariel forced himself to erase such thoughts as he bowed his head.

The medal was an unexpected event, yet Kariel, not showing any surprise, knelt once more before the Emperor and pulled a golden token from his cloak.

“I humbly wish to return the Crown Prince’s token, as it was a burden too heavy for me to bear. Please accept it.”

Returning the token that symbolized the Crown Prince.

Once this procedure was completed, he could officially step down from his position.

As he anxiously waited, the Emperor deliberately took his time before quietly accepting the token.

“I hereby lift the heavy burden off your shoulders. Now, you may rest easy.”

With the Emperor’s words, Kariel finally felt the tension ease as he bowed his head.

It was finally over.

With the Emperor’s declaration, Kariel would now only hold the title of the First Prince.

“I hereby officially remove Kariel Friedrich von Blazer from the position of Crown Prince. Additionally, I will also remove the position of Chancellor, which was temporarily held, so that the Prince can focus solely on recovering his health. All ministers, do not dispute my orders!”

“We obey Your Majesty’s command!”

All ministers bowed their heads in agreement with the Emperor’s decree, and at that moment, applause erupted from everyone in the Grand Hall.

This led to applause from those outside as well, celebrating Kariel’s retirement after all his hard work.

Amidst the blessings, Kariel stood up to receive a bouquet from his younger brothers and sister, Miriel, who came to congratulate him.

This was just the beginning; soon the leaders of various nations came one by one to present gifts.

“Congratulations on your retirement!”

Jason, the head of the Alliance, and the two kings from the South, as well as the Prince of the Empire, bestowed their gifts with shining eyes.

Lastly, the Pope approached, wearing a gentle smile as he spoke.

“I must say it’s truly regrettable to see you step down.”

“With my lacking abilities, it’s fortunate I’ve managed to stay this long. It’s a relief to finally step down.”

At Kariel’s words, a momentary chill flickered in the Pope’s eyes before fading away.

Kariel sensed this but thought to himself, what could he do now? He was no longer the Crown Prince.

He intended to enjoy a laid-back life in a remote place, hence he likely wouldn’t cross paths with the Pope again.

“I hope you continue to work hard for the peace of the continent.”

“…I wish for peace to accompany your path as well.”

The Pope forced a smile as he withdrew.

Thus, the gift presentation ceremony from the heads of various nations concluded, and Kariel went around meeting each minister, high bureaucrat, and noble one by one to receive congratulations.

In the past, he might have found it burdensome to meet only a select few important figures, but today, on this pleasant retirement day, he welcomed them all.

Finally, after greeting the citizens of the Empire, the party began.

“I need to get ready to leave as quickly as possible.”

“Is there really a need to rush?”

“Something feels off.”

Calling for Talion, Kariel ordered to convey the message, his brow furrowed in anxiety.

An ominous feeling was shadowing him.

At that moment, as he was frowning in unease, the Emperor approached.

“Kariel.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Your expression doesn’t look good. Is it that you did not want to retire?”

“I was merely worried about whether I performed well during my time as Crown Prince.”

As Kariel spoke with a bright smile, the Emperor grinned back.

“Well, if that’s the case, then it’s a relief. I have chosen a quiet estate for you as you wished.”

“Oh!”

Kariel beamed at the Emperor’s words.

“I ordered the ministers to ensure that you can leave the Imperial Palace as quickly as possible.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

“Having worked hard, I believe this much attention will ease my own mind as well.”

The Emperor sent an attendant to deliver something to Kariel.

“Artemet?”

“A renowned estate for tourism. Famous for its beautiful waterfall.”

As Talion chimed in with recognition, Kariel nodded, recalling it as well.

“The location is…”

“It’s situated in the Northeast. It boasts beautiful scenery; it’s often frequented even by the Holy Nation.”

“Ah…”

“It was chosen so you could focus on your recovery while enjoying the lovely views.”

At the Emperor’s words, Kariel tilted his head in contemplation before bowing gratefully in response.

However, the Emperor casually added,

“By the way, the ministers expressed concerns regarding the vacancy of the Crown Prince’s position and the Chancellor’s seat, which may cause chaos in the Empire.”

“Hmm… My brothers will manage. As long as Your Majesty remains in good health, a bit of chaos should be…”

“Unfortunately, my health has deteriorated further.”

At the Emperor’s words, Kariel’s expression tightened slightly.

“Has it worsened?”

“Yes. It seems I will have to leave major meetings to the two princes… Chaos is expected.”

Nodding, the Emperor’s demeanor matched Kariel’s growing concern.

“My brothers will do well.”

“Indeed, that’s what I believe… but the ministers disagree. The nobles insist that measures are needed to prevent any upcoming chaos. The Counts of the Border share the same sentiment.”

As the Emperor spoke, Kariel’s expression began to sour even more.

‘This was it.’

The reason for his lingering unease became clear.

Sensing that Kariel had caught on to his intentions, the Emperor smiled slyly and said,

“The ministers suggested that it wouldn’t be such a bad idea for you, the former Crown Prince, to retain some authority of the Crown Prince.”

“Your Majesty! That doesn’t make sense. If I’ve stepped down from my position, then all authority should fully return to you!”

Kariel subtly hinted at the risk of splitting the crown’s authority.

“If my body were in good shape, it would make sense, but sadly… this is my condition.”

The Emperor purposely exaggerated his frail appearance.

Even with that, Kariel responded firmly.

“Your Majesty, that is still unacceptable. This has no precedent and could be misused in the future.”

“Hmm…”

Seeing the Emperor ponder, Kariel quickly wracked his brains to persuade him.

He couldn’t afford to give the slightest chance for them to drag him back to the palace.

A perfect retirement.

That was the only way to enjoy a laid-back life.

“I understand your firm stance. I will inform the ministers that it cannot be done.”

“Thank you for considering my humble opinion.”

As Kariel bowed in gratitude for the Emperor’s acceptance of his view, the Emperor spoke again.

“Suppose I completely lifted the Crown Prince’s authority—how about the Special Inspection Authority?”

“…Yes?”

“You did quite well in capturing the Emperor Faction.”

The Emperor made this remark towards the confused Kariel, who only managed to respond with a dumbfounded “Yes?”

“Given the nobles fear you, having the Special Inspection Authority for a while might prevent significant chaos… What do you think?”

“Retiring as a Crown Prince and taking on the Special Inspection Authority… that’s too much to bear…”

“Just keep it for now. Once things settle down, it will be taken back. It would also keep the surrounding nobles from looking down on you.”

Kariel bit his lip at the Emperor’s words.

Despite the gentle tone, the Emperor’s gaze conveyed that since he had already let him off easy, he should be accepting of this.

‘So that’s why he awarded me the Sun Medal!’

Realizing it now was too late.

The highest honor in the Empire’s history bestowed on very few.

As the former Crown Prince who had received it, temporarily holding the Special Inspection Authority would be within reason.

Did the Pope’s fox-like smile overlay the Emperor’s face? Was that just an illusion?

Holding his pounding head, Kariel finally managed to respond.

“…Understood.”

“Thank you. This way, I won’t lose face with the ministers.”

The Emperor smiled in satisfaction, patting Kariel’s shoulder, before turning to leave.

Then he paused and added,

“While you’re at it, take the authority of diplomacy too.”

“…Yes?”

“What if the Pope or the Holy Nation were to come at you? They might want to take a jab at you since they have their grudges… Even a useless father worries about his son leaving far away.”

As the Emperor spoke with a pretense of concern, Kariel gritted his teeth but couldn’t refuse.

Everyone was watching both the Emperor and him, and he had no grounds to reject the Emperor’s offer of a worried parent for his departing son.

“…Thank you for Your Majesty’s grace.”

At Kariel’s response, the Emperor smiled satisfactorily, telling him to enjoy the party before leaving the banquet hall.

Kariel urgently commanded Talion to find out where his estate was located.

Soon after, Talion rushed back into the banquet hall, presenting Kariel with a map.

Interrupting his conversations with nobles, Kariel examined the map closely.

“What the hell…”

Kariel nearly cursed out loud but managed to suppress it with superhuman restraint.

A small estate in the Northeast.

As rumored, it was a noted tourist spot, yet it was far from the border.

But there was a problem.

It was currently suspected to be a route for Dark Mages to escape.

“…Your Majesty.”

Seeing Talion’s pained expression as he looked at Kariel, Kariel bit his lips, trembling slightly as he glanced around.

At that moment, he noticed the Masters observing him with crescent eyes like a crescent moon.

‘It was the lifetime slaves’ doing!’

Realizing in an instant that the Empire’s lifetime slaves were behind this, Kariel ground his teeth.

‘I will take my revenge one day.’

He vowed revenge against the lifetime slaves who had dealt him such a heavy blow.

And the mocking Masters and ministers.

The foreign envoy group watched on in amusement at this scene.

Thus, amidst a banquet scene rarely seen in the annals of Imperial history, Kariel’s long-desired retirement ceremony came to an end.