The Prince Wants to Retire

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The Crown Prince Wants to Retire

15. Kariel’s Secret Weapon

With Glen and some knights from the Grand Duke Family joining in, an elite force composed of Kariel, the Imperial Guard, the Imperial Palace Knights, and the Grand Duke’s knights was formed.

As if that wasn’t enough, some of the elite troops from the Central Army were also handed over to Kariel.

While the numbers weren’t large, they were all mounted cavalry, specially selected from among the elite troops.

“Is it alright?”

Kariel asked with a worried look.

Handing over so much elite force could pose a problem in the fight against Belphus.

While he had faith in his own abilities, these troops were a different matter.

Especially, the two Crown Princes were the future of the Empire.

“With this force, we should be able to easily sweep aside a foe like Belphus.”

Hearing Duke Devir’s words, Kariel looked at the Grand Duke and the two Crown Princes.

“Don’t worry.”

“We have prepared at least one trump card as well.”

With the Crown Princes’ words, Kariel sighed and nodded slightly.

Putting aside the matter of their hidden card, it was definitely excessive power to handle Belphus alone.

With the Central Army and the Western Army already setting up a blockade, it was clear that Belphus was doomed.

“I trust you.”

After leaving those words with Devir, Kariel bid farewell to the two Crown Princes.

*

After entering the West, the expedition forces began to split apart.

The Crown Prince’s army headed northwest, while the expeditionary army advanced toward Belphus, gradually dividing and moving toward their respective goals.

As the long line of forces split into two, a man in a black robe watched from a distance, holding a crystal sphere, and said,

“They’ve split apart as expected.”

No response came from the black crystal sphere despite the robed man’s report.

It seemed he had not expected a reply, as he tucked the sphere back into his robe and hurriedly moved on.

However, just as the man in the black robe disappeared, another group revealed itself from their hideout far away.

Though they also wore black robes, their robes were filled with various weapons.

“The presence has vanished.”

“It’s magic.”

“That seems to be the case.”

A man examining the spot where the robed mage had stood nodded and then ordered his subordinate.

“Report to His Highness.”

“Yes.”

At the man’s command, the subordinate quickly took out a raven, hastily scribbled something, and sent it flying into the sky.

Watching this quietly, the man and his subordinate discreetly suppressed their presence and vanished.

*

Flap flap!

As the raven soared high and approached the wagon, Talion stopped the Imperial Palace Knights who were about to draw their swords.

Then the raven nailed on the wagon window.

“Got it.”

Opening the wagon door, Kariel fed the raven while checking the letter. He murmured with a smile.

The ravens dispatched from the North had caught hold of the enemy’s neck.

Now all that was left was to act enticing enough to get them to take the bait.

“Pass the message to loosen up their muscles.”

As Kariel ordered Talion, he nodded quietly.

Living in the Imperial Palace, Kariel had continually prepared for the Western expedition, but he couldn’t help but cover for unforeseen circumstances.

The Empire was important, but his own YOLO life took precedence, so he took all possible safety precautions.

Naturally, the preparations would become daggers for the Dark Mages.

For starters, some of the Imperial Palace Knights, his attendant from the Shadows, and the Imperial Guard were ready.

And there was also Glen and the Grand Duke’s knights joining in.

However, this was merely the exposed force, and if it were the Dark Mages, they were likely prepared to handle this level of power.

Thus, to deal the enemy a blow, a hidden blade was necessary.

“The raven is a half-revealed sword, so it means nothing, and I have two remaining.”

Kariel recalled Surth and the man disguised as an Imperial Palace Knight.

His trump card that would protect his life.

He hoped he wouldn’t have to use either, but judging by how things were unfolding, he felt at least one would definitely be needed.

“How big will the one that bites me be?”

The larger the attacker, the more power the trump card would manifest.

Feeling a strange mix of tension and anticipation, the wagon sped quickly toward the Northwest.

“I wonder which one is going to try to attack me.”

Kariel thought to himself as he recalled his previous life.

The flow of events after he became the Emperor.

Rebellion – invasion from neighboring countries – Monster Wave – human-monster war – invasion of the East Continent.

He felt that perhaps all these events were interconnected.

The Monster Wave, which had merely been considered a disaster, was instigated by the Dark Mages, and if the rebellions in neighboring countries and provinces were also connected to Belphus, it meant that a significant dark force was targeting the Empire.

“During my previous life, I couldn’t gather detailed information since the situation was in such shambles.”

He had been too occupied with hasty defenses against the intruders attacking the Empire to even begin to investigate the hidden forces. If the pirates and underground merchant alliance that appeared in the West were connected to Belphus, it was necessary to consider that all the hidden forces on the continent might be linked to the Dark Mages.

Still, he didn’t know nothing about the Dark Mages.

He had learned several secrets during the human-monster war.

At this point, those secrets would serve as powerful weapons for Kariel.

“How’s the situation in the Northwest?”

“The monsters have started to move. Combat is imminent.”

While advancing toward the Northwest, Talion reported in real-time.

He asked Kariel, who nodded.

“He’s asking if you have any specific orders to give, Your Highness.”

“Tell them to just command themselves. They don’t need to report to me about war matters.”

“Is that really alright?”

“If those who know nothing about war meddle, it’ll only expand the chain of command and hinder rapid response. Let everyone manage on their own.”

Words he had uttered many times in his previous life.

It was the idea that one must respect the experts in their field.

Those in power should place competent individuals in positions and watch over them, but not unnecessarily interfere, which was Kariel’s principle.

“Only report regarding the Dark Mages. This too is a matter for their judgment.”

As Kariel said this, he remembered the Dark Mages from his previous life.

The cunning fellows always did their homework before moving.

First, they would incite chaos and attempt to assassinate those who could further fuel the confusion while people were still disoriented.

What would happen if he were to die in the current situation?

Putting aside his own qualities, the death of the Crown Prince alone would plunge the Empire into chaos.

In that alone, the Dark Mages would have completed their primary objective.

“If they kill me and take out my younger siblings too, then ‘that guy’ might just show up.”

As Kariel thought this, he focused on controlling the firepower.

As the amount of firepower he could control increased, Surth would also grow, so he trained his control over the firepower while moving toward the Northwest.

During that time, they drew ever closer to the Northwest, and finally, reports came that the defensive forces and monsters had begun their first clash.

From that point on, the movement of the Crown Prince’s procession also began to pick up speed.

“Your Highness, it seems we must move swiftly from here on out.”

“Have the Dark Mages made moves?”

“The Undead Legion appears to be still in place. However, reports from ravens indicate that some Dark Mages have made steps outside, leaving traces of the Black Mist.”

If the ravens who had gone ahead for reconnaissance in the West were indeed correct, it suggested the Dark Mages were preparing to target Kariel.

“Indeed, the Undead must have been the bait?”

While pretending to strike the defensive line in the Northwest, the real target is Kariel.

A typical tactic of Dark Mages.

“Load all the members of the Inspection Department into the wagon.”

“Your Highness.”

“Are you planning to leisurely play into the enemy’s intentions while moving slowly?”

At Kariel’s words, Talion hesitated, looking troubled.

“We can just load them into the cargo wagon.”

“You think we can fit them all in there?”

“Uh, well…”

“Non-combatants will only cause confusion by staying outside. Load as many as you can into my wagon while putting the rest in the cargo wagon.”

Following Kariel’s decision, Talion briefly halted the wagon and gathered all the non-combatants who had followed from the Inspection Department into both Kariel’s wagon and the cargo wagon.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright.”

After telling the Inspection Department members to rest easy, Kariel sat by the window and issued commands.

“From now on, move at top speed.”

“Yes.”

With Kariel’s order to set off, the troops moved much faster than before, quickly entering the border area of the Northwest.

Thanks to loading those unaccustomed to horseback riding into the cargo wagon and his own wagon, the pace increased significantly, allowing them to reach the Northwest faster than expected.

While they wouldn’t create huge disorder by moving faster than the Dark Mages had anticipated, they still made it more difficult for the enemy to easily target them.

“It’s dark magic!”

As the knights saw the black mist spread across the Crown Prince’s army’s path, they all drew their swords in unison.

The elite troops raised their specially treated spears.

Composed entirely of troops who had reached at least a limited level of mana awakening, the Imperial Palace Knights on the front and the wagons directly behind formed a wedge shape, charging boldly into the black mist.

As the knights at the forefront of the Central Army concentrated their mana and broke through, the knights from the Grand Duke Family followed to support them.

Finally, the Imperial Palace Knights formed to protect the wagon, utterly blocking the onslaught of dark magic from breaching their vehicle.

Thud thud thud!

As the sound of hooves quickly crossed into the black mist area.

“It’s magic!”

With the knight in the lead screaming, a beam of black light struck the mana barrier created by the Imperial Palace Knights.

“Don’t stop!”

“Charge through!”

With the knights shouting, the troops who had hesitated for but a moment began to charge once more.

This time, spells began to pour in from all directions.

From black flames to falling lightning from the sky.

It felt as if there was a determined will behind them to at least briefly halt the knights’ advance with the sheer variety of spells.

As if the ambush incident in the central area had all been a joke, an immense volume of magic began to assail the barrier, starting to crack the sturdy barrier of the Imperial Palace Knights.

However, the Crown Prince’s army did not stop and continued to break through, just then, a silhouette in a black robe appeared before them.

Simultaneously, an unknown voice echoed, and towering bones surged up, creating a wall before the knights.

Boom!

Despite being colossal in size, it was shattered with the knights’ charge, but merely managing to pause the charge for a moment sufficed to give it some value.

At the moment the Crown Prince’s army momentarily hesitated, a massive blob of mana gathered remotely and transformed into a beam of light that surged toward the wagon the Crown Prince was in.

“It’s the Magic Cannon!”

As the knight shouted, the beam of the magic cannon struck directly at the barrier created by the Imperial Palace Knights.

With the Dark Mages’ attempt to capture Kariel, the barrier of the Imperial Palace Knights was shattered.

“Protect His Highness!”

As the Imperial Palace knight yelled to start the command, figures in black robes began to emerge all around.

As if the chaos from just moments before had been a game, a staggering number of Dark Mages unleashed their magic, aiming to kill Kariel.

And at that moment, the ravens that had come from the North moved to protect Kariel.