---

Chapter 28: The Cost of Disturbing Rest! (3)

“The Crown Prince wants to retire.”

The words were as shocking as they were amusing! How on earth could the Pirate King possess such eloquence and an ability to read the room at his age?

Even the usually composed Chardonnay couldn’t help but chuckle at the sheer confidence reflected in the man’s demeanor, unshaken by the audacious proposal.

Hearing it second-hand was unbelievable, but witnessing the scene firsthand sparked Chardonnay’s genuine interest in the individual.

“The First Prince…”

For someone like her, who had been labeled a monster since childhood, facing a true monster now felt surreal.

“I hope to see you again someday…”

With a slight bow in gratitude for the rare opportunity provided by Kariel, she swiftly exited the city to attend to her original duties.

*

Once the mediator sent by the Prince of the Empire had exited the city, Kariel’s group leisurely wandered about.

Having managed a significant task, they thought to take a cozy break, but as always, things never went that smoothly.

“Your Highness.”

“What now? What’s the problem this time?”

Kariel’s face turned sour at the sight of a black envelope.

But eventually, he had no choice but to accept the urgent report within.

“Is this a final stand?”

The report stated that a man named Derek, who had caused chaos in the capital, was now operating under the alias “Deriël,” suppressing rebellions that erupted throughout the Empire’s regions.

Furthermore, it detailed how he was uniting the illegitimate children of nobles and those needing to hide their identities.

Up to this point, it all made sense.

With someone who might be a prince declaring their stance and peacefully suppressing the uprising while voicing the needs of the oppressed, capturing him wasn’t a viable option.

No matter how powerful a centralized state, justification was key.

Thus, even with Belphus backing him, this much was tolerable.

But the next part was concerning.

“These guys have crossed the line completely.”

Kariel crumpled the report with a cold expression.

The Southern Kingdoms had been directly funding “Deriël.”

They must have thought they were cleverly concealing the truth, but there was no way the Empire’s Intelligence Department would miss something like this.

This was just the beginning.

The Holy Nation had also stepped into this fight for justification.

“The Holy Nation intends to honor ‘Deriël’ with the title of ‘Saint’ to elevate his reputation.”

The Pope personally acknowledged Derek, calling him Deriël and bestowing upon him the title, sending shockwaves throughout the Empire.

This was essentially a direct slap to the face of the Empire, leading to the Holy Nation effectively declaring their separation from them.

People love a good gossip.

An illegitimate prince receiving the title of “Saint” and quelling a rebellion? Who wouldn’t cherish such a heroic tale?

Moreover, the forsaken prince had risen and achieved such victory alone.

As a result, the number of Empire citizens feeling favorably towards “Deriël” began to swell.

“Should we just let this happen?”

“At the right moment, His Majesty will take action.”

As Kariel spoke, he flashed a smile.

Originally, the plan was to use “Deriël” only after the Emperor’s demise.

It was difficult to utilize him while the Emperor was still alive since Deriël wasn’t really an illegitimate child.

However, due to pressing circumstances, they had to reveal this card prematurely, meaning this issue certainly wouldn’t last long.

“Still, they’ve landed a blow on us.”

It was the Chaos initiated by the Dark Mages that had intended for this.

Firstly, it bought time for their main forces to cross to the East Continent.

In this regard, Kariel had successfully launched the Imperial Palace Knights, dealing a significant blow to the main branches for a decisive victory.

Since he hit hard at the most crucial juncture, it was almost as if Kariel had won.

Secondly, creating unrest in the West Continent.

Although they had managed to drag this process longer than expected around Belphus, it hadn’t dealt a significant blow to the Empire.

Had things continued as they were, Kariel would have likely emerged victorious by inciting chaos in the South with the pirates.

But thanks to the Southern Coalition’s newfound strength supporting Deriël’s heroization, the situation dragged on.

Ultimately, more effort was required than anticipated to eliminate the seeds of chaos completely.

Overall, it was a win for Kariel, but he felt somewhat sour having lost in the second scenario.

“Even knowing what the future holds, and it still results in a loss…”

Feeling disgruntled, Kariel frowned.

His pride was wounded, knowing he had superior weapons yet still suffered a setback.

“…Your Highness?”

“I just wanted to rest in peace, but someone keeps bothering me.”

Sensing the tension from Kariel’s mumbled complaint, Talion instinctively shut his mouth.

“Ha! Should I just head back?”

With Kariel’s question, Talion almost nodded without thinking.

The quickest way to resolve this situation was for Kariel to return to the center.

Once he did, all attention would shift to him, and under his leadership, the Empire could swiftly end these antics.

However, that was where the trouble lay.

“If I’m not careful, I might end up as Emperor.”

Kariel was aware enough of the eyes watching him and ears listening in.

He had a grasp on the level of support he had within the Empire, and the extent of the citizens’ backing was clear.

What if the Barons officially declared their support in this situation?

The union of two dukes wouldn’t have any meaning anymore.

“I can’t become Emperor just because it’s a hassle.”

Muttering under his breath, Kariel exhaled deeply, attempting to gather his composure.

Thanks to those who kept disrupting his rest, he nearly lost control, but he quickly steadied himself, avoiding a major blunder.

“Stay out of central affairs.”

“However…”

Upon reading the last line of the crumpled report, Talion could only sigh.

“Are you considering returning even for a few days? Just stop by the capital for a visit!”

The Intelligence Chief’s desperate plea left Talion pondering, but Kariel’s resolve was unshakable.

A brief return could easily turn into a month or a year.

If by mistake, he suddenly became the Crown Prince again, it would be a dead end.

Riding on the tiger of the Emperor meant never getting off again.

“Even if it’s bothersome, I must return.”

“…Yes.”

At Kariel’s unwavering tone, Talion could only bow his head, silenced by the firm resolve of his superior.

His attendants and the Imperial Palace Knights consoled him with pats on the shoulder.

Having nearly lost himself in the chaos, Kariel quickly shook off the distraction, revoking his two-week city tour plans and returning to the resort.

“Which city is currently being built in Aysarman?”

“Salem.”

A small village that had been practically abandoned by the Principality.

Despite it being well-positioned for development due to conflicts with Talos, they had never even considered its advancement. Now, massive investments were being funneled in by the Empire.

“We’re heading there.”

“…Are you sure that’s okay?”

If Kariel went to Salem, work would inevitably pile up.

It was a city on the brink of development, and with considerable investments coming from the Empire, there were several important matters requiring attention.

Moreover, it was also where the command center of the Imperial Army dispatched to the conflict areas would be established.

So when he arrived, work would explode.

That’s why he had remained at his vacation villa, casually receiving reports.

“Better than heading back to the center.”

The ministers had their reasons for sending reports and pleading with Kariel.

They were building a case for his return to the center.

With a few more reports justifying his presence, the Empire would declare a crisis and demand Kariel’s return via the Emperor.

Thus, Kariel had to bear the annoyance and fulfill his duties to preemptively block that from happening.

“From now on, we will regard Talos as an enemy.”

“…Is that alright?”

“They’ve completely crossed the line.”

With that, Kariel said flatly, his eyes icy.

“By directly supporting Deriël, they’ve interfered in our internal affairs. So we’ll do the same.”

Tit for tat!

They needed to understand just how awful the Empire’s situation truly was.

“Contact the Count of the South and establish connections with the Southern merchant leaders.”

“Yes.”

As Talion bowed, Kariel ordered the Shadows as well.

“Get ready, it’s about to get busy. You won’t have any more vacations before this is over.”

At Kariel’s words, the Shadows and Imperial Palace Knights lowered their heads, their faces set with determination.

Fearing the flames of Kariel’s wrath might turn towards them, they avoided making eye contact.

Seeing their expressions, Kariel felt a shared anger and spoke up.

“Let’s show them just how severe the consequences of disturbing our rest can be.”

“Yes!”

The response from the group was thunderous.

Satisfied with their enthusiasm, Kariel began packing up the villa.

Before giving the formal order to start, he took a moment to look around his villa one last time.

A valuable sanctuary he would return to someday.

He promised himself he would come back here and enjoy a carefree life, tears welling up as he headed towards the Empire’s new city, Salem.

*

Soon after Kariel left the villa, news about him began to circulate, traveling from the Principality to the Empire.

“The rarely seen First Prince?”

“The villa is empty!”

The First Prince, who had always appeared daily, had suddenly vanished from the resort.

That alone was enough to make headlines in the Principality’s newspapers.

In the midst of chaos, the First Prince had been enjoying a leisurely vacation.

However, his absence raised questions from everyone.

Yet that curiosity was soon satisfied.

“The First Prince has been spotted in Salem.”

“At last, the First Prince has broken his seclusion and is on the move!”

The newspapers of the Principality bore large headlines announcing the First Prince’s activities.

The entire capital buzzed with the news.

“Has he finally made a move?”

The slumbering lion was finally awakening.

This alone set the continent into a feverish stir.

Though he had only been subtly controlling pirates from the shadows, he had finally decided to act directly.

Even if it was limited to conflict regions, the results were now highly anticipated.

“What will he showcase this time?”

The Prince of the Empire watched with a smile, excited about what this young man, who could potentially become his son-in-law, might display.

And this anticipation was mirrored within the Empire’s administration as well.

“At last, His Highness has made a move.”

“Phew… This should sufficiently keep Deriël in check.”

The Domestic Minister sighed, the Chief of the Security Brigade shaking his head in irritation.

“When can we stop relying on His Highness…?”

“What can we do? Until stability returns, we have no choice but to interfere with His Highness’ relaxation time.”

The Foreign Minister added, resigned to the situation.

“If only His Majesty had acted sooner, things would have been easier…”

He clicked his tongue, regretting the Emperor’s delayed response.

Finally getting ready to act.

If only the Deriël issue had been resolved sooner, they wouldn’t have reached this point.

That thought nagged persistently for the Domestic Minister.

Suddenly, the Foreign Minister tilted his head and speculated.

“Perhaps His Majesty intended to draw it out this far…”

All eyes turned to him as each Minister pondered this notion.

“Every time a significant issue arises, it’s not uncommon for us to seek His Highness’ help.”

“Exactly.”

“Could this be some grand scheme to reinstate the First Prince as Crown Prince once again…?”

“Hey now! What kind of disaster might arise from that?”

The Domestic Minister waved his hands, dismissing the idea.

Yet, upon deeper reflection, many considered the plausibility of that theory.

How many times had the name of the First Prince been capitalized upon already?

Each time the Ministers complained, the Emperor subtly encouraged selling Kariel’s name.

By now, even the nobles had come to accept it as a matter of course.

What if it continued to repeat itself?

Wouldn’t there eventually be a sentiment among the nobility suggesting Kariel should just become Emperor?

 

---