The Prince Wants to Retire

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The Crown Prince Wishes to Retire

16. Eliminate the Betrayers!

Despite needing to build a defensive line, the military intentionally cleared a path for the monsters.

Of course, not all of the military in the Northwest were involved.

If they had been, the entire army of the Northwest would have been mobilized to kill Kariel.

In other words, the betrayers were only a part of the military, and those who opened the path were the traitors situated in Kariel’s way.

– Have we not heard from them yet?

– No.

– It seems we haven’t yet.

Those who had betrayed the Empire awaited contact from the dark mages, their anxious faces telling the tale.

However, even though the promised time had passed, no contact came from them.

– If there’s still no contact…

– It might be time to consider a failure.

– Huh, it seems we must find our own ways to survive.

As the thought of impending failure loomed, a sigh escaped everyone’s lips.

Since the dark mages had prepared for failure, each now had to do their utmost to prepare for the arrival of the Crown Prince.

They needed to scatter and seek their own survival paths.

From the get-go, this assembly was a pitifully hastily arranged affair by the dark mages, so there was no obligation to help one another.

– Let’s all survive.

With those parting words, the betrayers began to vanish one by one from the Black Crystal Sphere.

Once the figures disappeared from the crystal, the man quietly observing it let out a sigh and rose from his seat.

Given the high probability of the Crown Prince surviving, he had to find a way to survive himself, but the man couldn’t even think of that.

“…Looks like I’m the only one who’s going to die.”

In reality, the one who had opened the path to the monsters was the last man remaining, so the likelihood of him taking the fall was extremely high.

He hoped until the end for the dark mages’ success, but even he didn’t believe that was very likely.

“I thought for sure I would die….”

What had been the reason for the betrayers, including himself, to ally with the dark mages?

It was because their plans were meticulous and the rewards promised upon success were substantial.

Initially, he had rejected them due to his loyalty to the Empire, however minuscule it might have been, but he had ultimately succumbed to their sweet whispers and found himself here.

‘Still, I have to look for a way to survive.’

Though the chances of survival were slim, he began to seek any tiny glimmer of hope.

Survival meant another chance in the future.

With that thought, he left the secret base and quietly returned to his room.

At that moment, he heard a knock on his door.

“Who is it?”

“It’s urgent news.”

Putting on an act as if he had just woken up at the urgent voice of his subordinate, he opened the door.

“Monsters are attacking?”

“No.”

“Then what is it?”

“Your Highness, the Crown Prince is under attack from the dark mages.”

With a shocked expression at the report from his subordinate, he hurried toward the command center.

‘So they have failed after all.’

His brows furrowed at the thought of the dark mages’ failure.

Yet, the opportunity was not gone.

If they could just get through this crisis, there was still a method to kill the Crown Prince and proceed with the existing plan.

‘If we can just get through this, we can live.’

Reiterating in his mind that they could survive, he headed for the command center.

“Did you arrive?”

A young man sat in the central position.

Standing beside him was the Legion Commander, who was commanding the defensive line.

Upon seeing him, it was immediately clear who the seated figure was.

“I pay my respects to Your Highness!”

The man knelt hastily and lowered his head, and Kariel smiled brightly at him.

“You’re late.”

“I-I apologize.”

Responding as he wiped the cold sweat from his brow, the man was addressed by the Legion Commander in a chilling voice.

“You are the last one.”

“Pardon?”

The Legion Commander, who had always spoken kindly to him despite being stern, now spoke with an icy tone, causing the man to gulp nervously.

As soon as he sensed that something was amiss, the Crown Prince Kariel opened his mouth.

“Where have you been? You seem quite busy?”

“Th-that’s….”

“Were you waiting to hear news of my death?”

Seeing Kariel speak with a smile, the man quickly understood that this situation was akin to death row.

‘It’s over.’

As he shut his eyes tight thinking that way, the Legion Commander spoke.

“Lieutenant Märhen.”

“…Yes.”

“I lamented that you lacked promotion despite your abilities. But this… is not right, is it?”

At the words of the Legion Commander, Lieutenant Märhen bowed his head.

Despite graduating in the top tier from the Academy and having a somewhat elite path, he had never climbed higher than lieutenant due to connections.

He was Märhen.

Unlike other officers, he had managed to crawl up from the bottom.

“To betray the Empire….”

“……I apologize.”

Kariel, who had restrained the Legion Commander from shouting at Märhen, stood up as he looked at Märhen, who couldn’t lift his face.

“From what I experienced in the capital, it seems there are quite a few trash who have betrayed the Empire.”

At Kariel’s words, Märhen’s expression hardened.

“Are you not wronged?”

“…….”

“It would be unjust for you to suffer alone and die….”

At Kariel’s words, Märhen’s expression began to tremble.

In fact, even now, he felt that very thought lurking in the back of his mind.

As if he were reading Märhen’s mind, Kariel verbatim expressed his sentiments.

Yet, Märhen’s lips refused to part.

The fact that he had betrayed the Empire and even plotted to kill Kariel suggested that he was bound for death, no matter what.

Moreover, unlike the other betrayers, he had no family.

Thus, although Märhen hesitated for a moment, he bit his lips again and overcame Kariel’s sweet temptations.

‘…I’m alone. It’s right for me to die alone. I have no regrets.’

While Märhen thought that way, Kariel spoke.

“Being the hidden bastard child of a noble, even though you had abilities, there were limits to your rise. You suffered from that reality and didn’t even create a family.”

“…….”

“In order not to make a child suffer like you, I didn’t even marry.”

As Kariel spoke, Märhen’s eyes started to tremble.

Hearing the exact reason from Kariel’s mouth as to why he had endured without marriage into middle age, Märhen’s firm resolution began to crack.

“Right, I won’t have regrets. I’ll just die alone. But let me ask…”

Trailing off, Kariel lifted Märhen’s head, which had been bowed down.

Looking into his eyes, Kariel spoke.

“Do you not want to take revenge against those who made you this way?”

At Kariel’s question, Märhen’s eyes quivered painfully.

“It turns out your family is quite the trash. There are many bastards like you, and they maintain power using them… But what’s most disgusting is that all the dirty deeds committed by the direct line have been pushed onto the bastards.”

“…….”

“You probably severed ties early because you knew that. Yet even as a bastard, blood ties cannot be easily severed, and in the end, you were unknowingly used by them, limiting your ascent.”

Kariel asked Märhen again.

“Do you not want revenge?”

“…Is it possible?”

“Saving your life is not difficult. But exterminating them is something I can certainly do.”

At Kariel’s words, the tremors in Märhen’s eyes began to calm down.

What he wanted most was not the rise that the dark mages had whispered about.

The rise was merely meant to be a weapon for achieving his true purpose.

“Can you really seek revenge for me?”

Märhen asked again, unable to believe it.

Understanding the skepticism, Kariel nodded.

And it was only natural, as having lived as a bastard, he had been tossed around countless times, leaving lingering doubts about being used and then disposed of.

To that man, Kariel said, “I promised a chancellor who shares your suspicion. You will die and your family will perish, but I will open a way for your family to survive. And I have indeed done so.”

At Kariel’s words, the suspicions misty in Märhen’s eyes began to fade.

“I cannot promise to save your life. But I can definitely annihilate the family you wish to take revenge against.”

With that assurance from Kariel, even the last remnants of doubt left Märhen as he bowed his head.

“Speak freely. From now on, all that I know belongs to Your Highness.”

As Märhen spoke, Kariel smiled brightly and lifted Märhen up.

“I’m hungry. How about we eat something while we discuss slowly?”

With a gentle expression, Kariel began to converse with Märhen.

The discourse that had commenced in the wee hours continued until past noon.

The first topic was information about the dark mages.

This part was not something Märhen was well-versed in.

The dark mages had approached him unilaterally, so he didn’t know much.

However, there were still useful tidbits.

“How amusing. They’ve meddled with the volcano….”

As Kariel spoke, he listened to Märhen’s next tale.

The second was regarding Märhen’s family.

Sadly, his family had no direct connections to Belphus.

They were infamous in the West for their misconduct, to the extent that even Belphus didn’t want to cooperate with them.

Moreover, since Märhen had practically severed ties long ago, he didn’t know much.

However, he could be of help in capturing Belphus.

Due to connections with underground merchants and criminal organizations, he could assist in tracing the funding streams that had seeped into the darkness of the West.

Lastly, they spoke about the betrayers.

“…Sigh. I owe you an apology regarding this part. I’m sorry.”

Kariel slightly bowed his head to Märhen.

At this, Talion beside him and the Legion Commander, along with Achelio, wore shocked expressions.

Märhen, the subject of this, also showed a bewildered look.

“M-Your Highness….”

“Though you betrayed the Empire, I must apologize regarding this. All of this transpired because the center of the Empire has decayed.”

Looking at Märhen, Kariel said, “The imperial family’s failure to maintain control and neglecting issues heavily contributed to the creation of people like you, leading to this disaster.”

“…….”

At Kariel’s apology, tears rolled down Märhen’s face.

“However, from now on, things will be different. Although it’s a work in progress, the rottenness at the center has been considerably purged, and the provinces will slowly change as well.”

It was guaranteed that regardless of which of the two princes became the next crown prince, this change would come to pass.

The flow within the Empire was already steering in that direction.

With war on the horizon against foreign nations, the first task would be to solidify internal stability.

With the justification of the dark mages as leverage, Kariel’s plans would proceed much more swiftly than anticipated.

“I’ll personally clean up the West before I retire.”

“…I will support you from the afterlife, Your Highness.”

At Märhen’s words, Kariel smiled back at him.

“It will happen before you’re executed, so witness it before you embark on your long journey.”

At Kariel’s words, Märhen bowed his head.

“Thank you… Thank you.”

Kariel patted Märhen on the shoulder, who was shedding tears and incessantly expressing gratitude, then stood up.

And shortly after, a massive purging operation targeting officer-level figures in the Northwest commenced.