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The Crown Prince Wants to Retire

42. Devour the Divided Iron! (2)

Finally, as all imperial armies began to concentrate on Iron, every newspaper office reported on it.

Achelio and the Central Army immediately started moving towards Iron, while the Eastern Army pressured Talos.

This was to draw any main forces of Talos entering Iron, even if just a little.

Consequently, the languid Iron Civil War prepared to engage in battles again.

“The imperial army is coming. Shouldn’t we retreat?”

“No. We will repel Iron’s government forces here.”

“But there are considerable factions opposing us within Iron.”

Duke Pires murmured at the lieutenant’s words. In fact, the very reason the war dragged on like this was precisely due to the opposing factions rising within Iron.

‘We’ll handle our own affairs! Everyone get lost!’

Both the Pro-Empire and Anti-Empire factions had effectively become traitors by bringing in foreign armies at this point.

As a result, rebel forces began to form around several major merchant guilds, and revolutionary forces unsatisfied with the existing regime began to rise up against the Southern Kingdoms.

It was already tough enough dealing with the Empire alone, now having to worry about uprising internal forces from Iron has led to this chaotic situation.

“Let’s just push through.”

“Doing that might cause the Anti-Empire forces in Iron to break away.”

“It can’t be helped. If we hesitate any longer, we might lose the war itself. Gather all the scattered Rotheon forces. We’ll wrap this up as soon as possible.”

“Yes!”

Duke Pires, the First Sword of Rotheon, made a decisive choice.

Once the imperial army arrived, everything would come to an end, so they began concentrating their troops, taking on the risk.

During this process, a brutal massacre of resisting rebels occurred, causing dissent among Iron’s side who had joined the Anti-Empire faction.

Nonetheless, Duke Pires ignored this and continued gathering forces.

Then the Talos army began moving as well.

“We must break through before the imperial army arrives. Tell all our forces to converge here!”

“Contact from headquarters has come in. The empire’s Eastern Army is advancing rapidly.”

Upon hearing the lieutenant’s report, Duke Cletta frowned.

“Tell the remaining troops to hold out. We will occupy Iron from here.”

“However… how long can we hold against the imperial army…?”

“If we let Iron slip away from here, it will only lead to a greater crisis. We must drive the Pro-Empire faction out of Iron as ordered by His Highness.”

Even Duke Cletta, the First Sword of Talos, was now prepared to take risks.

As the two Southern Kingdom armies began to push forward alongside the Anti-Empire faction, the Pro-Empire government forces hastily pulled back their front lines.

Rather than completely pushing out the Anti-Empire faction right now, they adjusted their strategy to hold out around key fortresses.

Then, in response, the imperial army began to converge around the Iron forces.

They intended to hold out one way or another until the imperial reinforcements arrived.

At this urgent turning point in Iron, a figure secretly coming from Iron sought out Kariel.

“It’s been a while.”

“It’s been a while since I last saw you.”

The alliance leader from Iron, who had secretly visited the palace, greeted him.

“It seems the situation is dire…”

“Yes. Yet, thanks to Your Majesty’s grace, we are somehow managing to hold on.”

Jeyron Paul, awkwardly smiling, looked haggard, as if he had endured many hardships. Feeling a sense of kinship, Kariel brought out some herbal tea and quietly asked.

“What is the reason you wish to meet with me secretly?”

“It’s because of the revolutionary forces.”

“… Revolutionary forces?”

As Kariel tilted his head in confusion, Jeyron forced a smile and spoke.

“You must be aware that there’s a revolutionary faction forming within Iron.”

“Hmm…”

As Kariel silently stared at Jeyron, he sighed and continued.

“You should also be aware that this revolutionary faction is advocating for integration with the Empire.”

The origin of Iron’s emergence was the desire for a society where capable individuals could thrive through freedom and fair opportunities.

A nation formed by merchants.

That very Iron was now rotting away, becoming a battlefield for foreign nations.

Fueled by anger, those advocating for merger with the Empire appeared, thus forming the revolutionary faction.

It all exploded into action when the empire destroyed Iron’s magic tower, and the gradually growing revolutionary group turned into a massive uprising.

‘Let’s just merge with the Empire!’

Even those who scoffed at this notion began to take an interest.

After all, Iron was originally a nation that broke away from the Empire.

Wealthy merchants bought master-level mercenaries and gathered numerous troops, and the start of Iron’s rebellion was when the imperial grievances surfaced.

“There are many who have experienced the bottom tier of Iron, both from the anti-government side and the revolutionary faction.”

The depths of Iron were akin to hell.

At this point, even criminals crawling in the Empire’s mines would fare better.

As it was a thoroughly capitalist society, it exploited people even more ruthlessly.

The welfare projects started by Jeyron merely sustained life at a bare minimum.

“They wish to come under the Empire’s system.”

“Isn’t the Iron government against that?”

“Yes. We cannot abandon the nation of Iron from our perspective.”

Jeyron forced a smile.

In truth, he personally thought that handing over the nation to the Empire might be better.

However, the merchants who followed him felt differently.

They had no idea what would happen to everything they had built in Iron if it merged into the Empire.

Out of fear of such uncertainties, they fiercely opposed any return to the Empire, regardless of how pro-Empire they were.

No matter how pro-Empire they were, surrendering their nation was a different matter.

“Yet, the situation seems to be driving us to a point of no return.”

With a tone laced with self-pity, Jeyron bowed his head and made his request to Kariel.

“Please allow us to form an alliance.”

“An alliance? You can’t be serious…”

“Yes. If we enter the newly formed alliance, we will see an effect similar to being a vassal of the Empire.”

“Hmm…”

As Kariel appeared to be deep in thought, Jeyron quickly continued.

“We do not intend to maintain the nation as it is. Just let us maintain a degree of independence.”

“A degree…”

“Something like Salem would be sufficient. It just has to be a bit larger than that.”

Jeyron’s assertion about the level of independence held by the Salem Port in the East caused Kariel to nod in agreement.

“However, what is the reason for going to such lengths?”

“Out of fear of the aftermath.”

Jeyron’s words prompted Kariel to tilt his head.

“Aftermath?”

“You’re not expecting help without any cost, are you?”

At Jeyron’s remark, Kariel coughed awkwardly.

The Empire’s assistance to Iron was aimed at keeping the Southern Kingdoms and Holy Nation in check, but they couldn’t aid for free.

Once all the wars were over, the Empire intended to demand a price for the help rendered.

However, having sent two masters and most of the Empire’s elite forces, even taking a small price would be burdensome for Iron to withstand.

“Anyway, as long as His Majesty is present, I don’t think the nation of Iron will last long.”

“Hmm…”

“It’s better to integrate into the Empire beforehand. By doing so, we can at least negotiate trade like this, right?”

Jeyron said with a bright smile.

While the tower masters suffered harsh consequences for missing opportunities, the clever Jeyron did not miss his.

‘Cunning.’

A genius on par with Luther, the chancellor who protected the Empire in his previous life.

Kariel found himself chuckling softly at this evaluation.

‘My plans have become useless.’

I was initially considering using the revolutionary faction to devour Iron, but it seemed unnecessary now.

Instead, he looked regretfully upon Jeyron, who was left with no choice but to make this resolution.

It reminded him of the self he had been in his previous life.

Events were erupting everywhere, and the nation was on the brink of destruction.

The desperation that had felt so palpable back then was apparent on Jeyron’s face.

“It wouldn’t be a bad transaction for His Majesty either. If Iron integrates into the Empire, the Principality will follow suit.”

“I have no intention of being greedy about the Principality. This relationship is sufficient for now.”

“The Principality might not see it that way.”

As Jeyron smiled while stating this, Kariel coughed again.

The very decision to station the Empire’s Eastern Army in the Principality regularly was itself tantamount to declaring they were part of the Empire.

Therefore, if Iron were absorbed by the Empire, it was highly likely that the Principality would do the same.

“Swallowing Iron and the Principality could well mean the unification of the West Continent is not just a dream.”

As Jeyron said this, his gaze flickered to the map hanging in the corner of the office.

Ignit had consumed the entirety of central West Continent.

All that remained were the Southern Kingdoms and the Holy Nation, but with the Empire’s rate of advancement, it wouldn’t take long to consume them as well.

‘If I unify the West Continent, will the East Continent be next?’

With this thought, Jeyron glanced at Kariel.

He might be living in an era alongside a great emperor that would be remembered in history.

“Hmm… that’s fine. When would be the best time to make the announcement?”

“How about when the reinforcements arrive?”

Once Jeyron suggested this, he proceeded to explain Iron’s current situation in detail.

Even at this very moment, many were defecting from the Anti-Empire faction due to the oppression of the Southern Kingdoms.

Some of them joined the Pro-Empire faction, but most were being absorbed into the revolutionary faction or the anti-government faction.

Therefore, it would be best to absorb them as much as possible before concluding negotiations with the revolutionary and anti-government factions, then smoothly announcing merger with the Empire.

“I will take my leave now.”

As Jeyron stood up and bowed, Kariel nodded briefly and personally saw him off.

“Hmm… summon the ministers right away.”

“Yes.”

After sending Jeyron off, Kariel promptly gathered the major ministers.

Once he recounted the discussion he just had with Jeyron, everyone was taken aback.

Some of them repeatedly asked Kariel, looking incredulous. This was because the content was about Iron wishing to voluntarily merge with the Empire.

Not a small nation, but Iron, which was once called a powerful country.

“Given that the situation has come to this, it seems we can afford to push a little harder…”

“If we explain the circumstances to the major nobles and proceed, there shouldn’t be any major issues.”

The chancellor nodded in agreement at Kariel’s words.

The justification was the restoration of the Empire’s former territory.

There would be no one to refuse the integration of Iron into the Empire. The revolutionary faction would likely have no significant complaints with such a justification.

The citizens of the Empire would also be willing to understand up to a certain extent.

“Well then, let’s proceed right away.”

“I understand.”

Kariel ordered the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Internal Affairs for additional supplies and commanded the Minister of Military for further conscription.

Simultaneously, a portion of the Imperial Palace Knights and special forces from the Intelligence Department were urgently dispatched to Iron.

“We must end this once and for all.”

With those words, Kariel pressed the ministers to increase supplies heading towards Iron.

Now that it had come to this, he decided that a quick resolution through a short war was the way forward.

 

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