The Prince Wants To Retire

23. Who is the real number one in the empire? (2)

“Is the earthquake more serious than you think?”

“That’s right.”

At Tarion’s absurd remark, Kariel received the report with a serious expression.

Earthquakes do not occur only once, but repeatedly, causing damage to increase exponentially.

“Where is the epicenter?”

“We have confirmed that the labyrinth, the epicenter, is collapsing. It seems that the magical beast that is handed down as a legend does exist.”

At Tarion’s report, Kariel nodded slightly.

In the meantime, Seongguk had thoroughly covered the information, so we couldn’t know for sure.

Through this opportunity, it has been officially confirmed that the existence of a magical beast known only as a legend is in fact true.

‘I want to be blunt, but… … .’

Now was the time to seek the help of the Holy Kingdom.

‘This can be taken care of later, so let’s focus on the Empire for now.’

Having made up his mind like that, Kariel thought about how to move the army.

Since the elite army of Seongguk moved to block the labyrinth, there was no reason for the empire to move urgently.

The place where the beast was located was closer to Seongguk, so even if the imperial army moved urgently, they could not arrive faster than Seongguk.

Then it was better to move with leisure and perfection.

“What about black magic?”

“It has not been found yet.”

Kariel’s expression frowned at Tarion’s report.

Like shady guys, they didn’t easily reveal their tails.

‘Anyway, how do black magicians know this kind of information… … .’

I wondered how warlocks knew information that even they couldn’t know for sure, but what I was more curious about was how to use this information.

Awakening the Demonic Beast and creating a volcanic eruption with the fragments of the Spirit King were not things that could be said to be simply knowing information.

This is only possible when information from myth-level beings and magical knowledge using them are synthesized.

“Is there something behind the warlocks?”

“Yes?”

“Is it possible only with warlocks to do such a thing?”

At Kariel’s question, Tarion put on a serious expression.

If you look through the history of the continent, there were countless records of viciousness against the warlock.

But is it possible to create volcanic eruptions and create earthquakes?

It was almost impossible, unless it was the level of an archmage existing in legend.

‘It must not have been that the demon lord had already been summoned… … .’

I could be sure because it was Kariel who remembered his past life.

The Demon King will be summoned later than now.

That would only be possible if the warlock had made all the preparations while the empire was still in decay.

‘That means that this is possible only with a contract with the devil… … .’

Cariel, who had the question of simply asking, ‘Is this possible with just a contract with the devil?’ was silent for a moment.

However, the information was so limited that it was difficult to know anything about the current state.

Fortunately, it was confirmed that the Warlocks and Seongguk were not completely hand in hand.

“The sun sword moves directly?”

“That’s right.”

Kariel nodded slightly at Tarion’s answer.

After confirming the movement of the sun sword through the intelligence obtained by the crows and hearing firsthand the size of the subjugation army, he was able to erase the assumption that there might be a Seongguk behind the black magician.

“The worst was avoided.”

Even if the black magicians are expelled to the eastern continent, if the castle is behind them, they can infiltrate the western continent again through the northern part in the future.

So, it was natural for Kariel to have such doubts.

Since the temples and warlocks in the empire joined hands, it was something to be suspicious of at least once.

However, the wrath that Seongguk is now displaying has dispelled most of those doubts.

‘I’m really pissed off.’

I touched the wrath of the kingdom.

A mythical beast that is said to have swallowed the sun is about to rise.

Truly a being that brought disgrace to the Holy Land.

Such a being, the Holy Kingdom would not allow others to subdue it.

“People in the earthquake area?”

“Most of them have already been evacuated.”

“Isn’t there a risk that the damage would be even bigger here?”

Tarion nodded at Kariel’s words.

Most of the buildings have already collapsed due to repeated earthquakes.

Of course, it would cost a lot of money because it needed support for the people who came to evacuate and the people who were injured, but that was just the money we had to spend anyway.

“Since this has happened, we have completely taken control of the Northeast.”

“… … Do you mean take over?”

“okay. I will slowly ascend the labyrinth while repairing the damage.”

At Kariel’s words, Tarion made a goosebumps expression.

This time, he read Kariel’s thoughts to increase the damage to the Holy Kingdom.

“Focus on the warlock. There’s a good chance they’re in the labyrinth, but I don’t know what else they’ll do.”

“All right.”

Tarion nodded at Kariel’s command and sent a crow to deliver the order to the northerners.

The real intention is to induce the Holy Kingdom and the warlocks to inflict damage on each other, but it is designed to appear to be searching for the warlock.

* * *

A search operation for black magicians who have infiltrated the Northeast.

Publicizing the ostensible operation, the Empire slowly pressed into the northeast.

Centered on Cariel, the northern and eastern armies pressed in from both sides, followed by the central army being dispatched to the northeast.

As the three armies slowly encircled the northeast, they began eradicating any remaining warlocks.

The problem was the Holy Kingdom.

“Damn it!”

The sunsword swung the sword and crushed one undead.

As he swung the sword full of divine power, dozens of undead were scattered as ashes in one blow.

Even so, the undead rushing in relentlessly were tying their feet so that they could not advance the troops of the Holy Kingdom.

“Break through! We must get to the labyrinth as soon as possible!”

The sun sword hurriedly shouted, but it was not easy.

This is because the Holy Knights, who broke through the undead, were also bound by the monsters that came out as the labyrinth collapsed.

“If I were the master… … .”

If it had been the Master, he would have been able to see through the road, but he had not yet crossed the wall.

The level of a master who thought he had almost reached it.

It was thought that only one thin wall was left, but the result of that one wall made a huge difference.

“Captain! It is difficult for us to break through the labyrinth on time alone!”

“You should ask for more support!”

The paladins who were next to the sun sword professed as the war situation got worse and worse.

The Sun Sword was also well aware that it was difficult to completely conquer the labyrinth with the current force.

There were only a lot of undead, but it wasn’t a huge danger, but the problem was the monsters coming out of the labyrinth.

It could be pierced with time, but the Sunblade didn’t have the time.

“Once we make a request for additional assistance to Seongguk… … .”

Dedede!

Before the Sunsword could finish talking, the earth suddenly began to shake.

At the intense morale he felt at that moment, the sun sword intuitively knew that the thing he was so worried about had happened.

“… … It’s ruined.”

As part of the labyrinth of the sun sword collapsed, I closed my eyes tightly at the glimpse of the shape.

Now the situation is out of their hands.

“Report to His Holiness. The shame of the Holy Kingdom has awakened.”

The Sunsword sighed after informing the priest directly under the pope of the current situation.

It was difficult to deal with the ancient monster with this force.

“… … straighten up the ranks It will gradually back away and form a barrier.”

“Yes!”

At the command of the sun sword, the paladins bowed their heads and answered.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the capital of the empire, the pope lifted a heavy butt when he heard the news that the army of the holy kingdom had failed to achieve its goal.

“… … let’s go.”

“Yes.”

At the pope’s words, the high-ranking priests bowed their heads in guilt.

The disgrace of the Holy Kingdom had finally awakened, so even now the pope had to go and direct it.

When the Pope urgently decided to return to the Holy Land, the Continental Congress was postponed indefinitely.

Following this, the king quickly decided to return, and the two southern kings also decided to return, and envoys from each country prepared to return to their countries.

Then the Empire, too, was no longer obsessed with the Continental Congress and focused on the Northeast.

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Just then, suspicious rumors began to circulate in the Empire.

“The two princes aren’t the only ones who have a chance to become crown princes!”

Rumors that started in some southern territories quickly spread to the capital of the empire.

At first, people didn’t pay much attention to it.

It was because the Northeast was too big, and all attention was focused on it as rumors circulated that warlocks had appeared again.

However, the rumors that spread to the capital continued to flow through people’s mouths, and finally a suspicious article was posted on the bulletin board in the plaza.

“There is a hidden son of the emperor!”

People sneered at the article mentioning the existence of the emperor’s hidden son.

But with each passing day, evidence of the emperor’s hidden son was secretly posted throughout the building.

Among them were portraits of women who were lovers of the emperor, speculative writings about whether they were the children of one of them.

Then those who did not believe at first began to tilt their heads.

Because some women were quite plausible.

This is because the emperor in his youth played quite profusely, and at least one illegitimate child was likely to exist.

Old nobles who remember the emperor’s youth went so far as to assert that the unknown illegitimate children were evidence that the imperial family deliberately hid it.

By the time people were giving their speculative opinions, the characteristics of the person called Derek started to circulate in rumors.

“Is Derek, the head of the Darkside Red Spider, another hidden prince?”

“The reason why the red spider was able to grow rapidly for 10 years”

“Derek’s face and hair color resemble royalty!”

Rumors that were obviously intentionally disclosed.

However, for people who like gossip, rumors spread quickly because there was no talk like this.

In such a situation, a man called Derek appeared in the square.

He just showed his face and disappeared without saying anything, but realized that people were not just rumors about his face and hair color that showed the characteristics of the royal family.

In addition, the emperor was locked in the palace, and the imperial family did not give any explanation.

In such a situation, the nobles also could not hide their embarrassment and did not know what to do.

* * *

This chaos in the capital also spread to Kariel, who was slowly advancing to catch the warlocks hiding in the northeast.

“Currently, the fact that there is another prince in the capital is becoming almost a fact. Some even insist that we should call him ‘Deriel.’”

Cariel laughed at the name he made by adding ‘L’ to Derek’s name.

‘This name is the same as in the past and now.’

I just laughed thinking about that.

Then Tarion made a worried expression.

“There could be chaos in the empire.”

“It’s not going to happen.”

Kariel made a relaxed expression.

I had already predicted that it would appear someday since the warlocks were using their tactics in the Northwest.

In the previous life, when the empire was half destroyed by a rebellion and Kariel’s power was drastically reduced, he appeared.

Even the emperor died, so it was difficult to know the ‘truth’, but after killing the guy, his identity was revealed during the investigation.

“If you come here and do something like that, you can’t shake the younger brothers.”

Anticipating the possibility of this happening, we prepared everything.

Even limiting Miriael’s possibilities, he nailed one of the two princes to become the crown prince.

In addition, the factions of the nobility were divided by having the two princes enter politics at an early age.

There was no great meaning in trying to shake it in this situation.

‘If you’ve been hurt once, you’re an asshole.’

Cariel thought about it and smiled.

“Your brothers aren’t that weak. So, focus here.”

“Yes.”

When Kariel spoke with a relaxed expression on his face, Tarion smiled and nodded his head.

As Tarion, who was anxious about the strong lord, found a sense of stability, others began to settle down as well.

The two princes or the imperial palace could be shaken.

However, because of Kariel, the empire was strong.

‘As long as there is deterioration, the empire will not be shaken.’

Thinking so, Tarion focused on the northeast.

The moment the empire shakes, Kariel will step in, so he just needs to follow orders.