The Prince Wants To Retire

34. The emperor in uniform!

Finally, all schedules were over, and the emperor’s funeral ran toward the end.

The moment the emperor’s coffin was buried in the tomb, Kariel and other ministers worked day and night.

Margraves and subjugation forces also returned to their original positions one by one.

The last three days for the people of the empire to honor the emperor.

During those three days, the imperial army and bureaucrats were busy chasing the huge flow that would occur in the West Continent.

As a result, envoys from other countries also quickly returned to their countries.

It all started from the southern side.

“The movements of the southern kingdoms are unusual.”

Tarion reported with a serious expression and explained the overall situation of the Western Continent.

“Rotheon moved first. Currently, Roteon’s army is concentrating on Iron.”

“There must be a Southern Margrave?”

“Ignore it and move on.”

At Tarion’s report, Kariel put on a puzzled expression.

“Are you sure the Empire won’t beat them? if not… … .”

Kariel, who was reading the report with an expression of not knowing what Roteon was aiming for, hesitated.

“How many Roteon spies are there in the Iron League?”

“I’m estimating about a thousand people.”

“… … decreased?”

Tarion was taken aback by Kariel’s question.

With the Empire investing massively in Iron to create a pro-Imperial faction, Roteon cuts its staff?

Intuitively aware that something smelled bad, Kariel looked at Tarion.

“I don’t feel good.”

“… … Let’s see.”

“okay. In case of emergency, take measures so that even the special forces who entered Iron can withdraw at any time.”

“Yes.”

“You know you shouldn’t do anything conspicuous to Iron and Roteon, you know?”

Tarion nodded at Kariel’s words.

Currently, in Iron, the pro-imperialist faction and the opposition faction were fighting fiercely.

The opposition was supported by Roteon and Talos, and the pro-Imperial faction even put the imperial forces on the ground to prevent it.

But what if all of this is acting?

‘Have you already betrayed the pro-imperialist faction since then?’

At the time when the Southern Kingdom and the Holy Kingdom entered into a secret pact, Iron also had a move to break the alliance with the Empire.

After that, he worked to help the weak pro-imperial faction and divide it into two factions, but if all of that was just acting, the empire would only give money to Iron.

“Should Iron be defined as an ‘enemy’?”

After muttering like that, Kariel gave a troubled expression on his face.

The inside of Iron was so complicated that it was hard to judge what the hell was going on.

The imperial intelligence department is not incompetent.

If only the Empire’s ‘enemies’ were left in Iron, you would have noticed.

What was clear was that there was a fierce confrontation within Ironon.

Merchants who would be thrilled with money are fighting at the risk of their commercial realm being destroyed.

Already, Iron was in the process of consuming huge amounts of money in real time only by the confrontation between the pro-imperialist faction and the opposition faction.

The scale was too large for an attempt to rob the empire of money.

“If this is a joke, then Iron’s guts must be great.”

After muttering that, Kariel went back to work.

It was already clearly separated from the southern kingdoms. That’s why the inside of the empire had to be rectified as quickly as possible.

There was a lot of work to be done in the West Continent because everything except the principality had already been assumed to be enemies of the Empire.

Ministers knew that, so they moved everything assuming what if.

We prepared to supply military supplies at any time, and prepared to repair roads so that supplies could be transported quickly.

The biggest among them was the contract with the Mage Tower.

“your majesty.”

“Is it the chancellor?”

Seeing Winston visit her, Kariel got up and headed to the table.

Taking care of old Winston, he stood at the table and prepared tea as if to greet guests without a report.

“This is a report related to the tower.”

“Did they notice my intentions?”

As Kariel smiled, Winston nodded with a heavy expression on his face.

“I would like to.”

The powerful interests that the tower currently possesses.

In Kariel’s view, it was one of the biggest factors that hindered the development of the empire.

As the country develops into an industrial state, the rights of the nobility will naturally collapse. However, since the technology was acquired through magic engineering, development was allowed only within the scope of the ‘Matop’.

There were a number of items that could not be operated without magic.

Even things that do not have to be magic have been blocked from advancing engineering by putting magic in them.

They did this only to solidify their position.

After such a long time, all engineering was regarded as indispensable without magic and has continued to this day.

However, as Kariel who lived on Earth, he was able to plant and nurture the seeds that would advance engineering in his previous life. However, at that time, the tower was also in a semi-collapsed state, and the empire was also in a state of decay, so it was eaten.

The current tower was strong, so preparation was necessary.

“Your Majesty, it seems premature to touch the horse tower now.”

“I know. just getting ready Use of these will be in the far future.”

Neither Martap nor the ministers knew well that one day, Kariel would reform.

Already, revolutionary forces were leading the major issues in the eastern region, and a large industrial complex was being prepared in Salem Port.

As a result, the lords in the neighboring estates flocked to Salem Port, and there was a movement to lower taxes and secure the lords who squeezed the tax rate.

If this spreads across the empire, a revolution will occur.

That is why the nobles objected, but with clumsy resistance, he was easily defeated by Kariel.

On the other hand, the Magic Tower was different. Even when the nobles rebelled, the mage tower remained silent.

Rather, it was prepared to prevent Kariel from easily taking advantage of their interests at that time.

That’s why, if you hastily touched the magic tower, you could be in big trouble. Winston was concerned about this.

“I know what your concerns are.”

Kariel knew what Winston was worried about, so he made a plan and did nothing.

There was not enough justification or strength to hit the magic tower.

So, for now, I will only prepare in advance.

All plans being prepared in secret now will be implemented when the Empire enters a period of stability after the Rebellion is over.

‘If all the plans are fulfilled, the status of aristocrats may be reduced to an honorary position.’

Cariel thought so, and his eyes lit up.

Starting with Salem, he created a large number of wealthy people in major cities, turning the nobles into mere appearances.

After that, ‘magic’ is brought down from its absolute position to a being that is nothing more than one of engineering and other disciplines.

At that moment, the empire will be transformed.

However, until these plans were carried out, it was necessary to silence the opposition of the existing high-ranking people, such as nobles and wizards, as much as possible.

Cariel thought that far and looked at Winston.

“If the thing in your arms is your resignation letter, leave it there.”

“Your Majesty, Sosin is too old. As I reported earlier, it would be easier to lead the country in the future if you appoint one of the talented people as prime minister.”

At Winston’s words, Kariel smiled and said,

“It is because of you that the nobles are calming their dissatisfaction right now. But what if you fall?”

Winston’s mouth fell shut at Kariel’s words.

“I also plan not to implement policies that will cause the aristocrats to protest. All plans will be after the inside is sorted out, so keep working hard until then.”

“then… … .”

“I will accept your resignation letter.”

Winston, who had been fiddling with the resignation letter in his arms for a while at Kariel’s answer, lowered his head.

“after… … All right.”

Kariel, who soothed Winston, who came today with a letter of resignation, sent him back.

In my heart, I would like to have someone with ability sit in the prime minister’s seat, but it wasn’t the time yet.

Above all, Winston’s ability is also useful.

First of all, as befits a person recommended by the aristocrats, the aristocrats listened to Winston’s words to some extent, and Winston himself was quick-witted as a person who had been in politics for a long time.

While reading Kariel’s intentions to some extent, there were many cases in which he tied the knot before a big event happened.

That’s why Winston had to keep the chancellor’s position until Kariel’s plan went into full swing.

The problem was that, from Kariel’s point of view, she did not know when that time would be.

It is a long-term plan that will take at least several years.

That meant Winston had to keep the Chancellor’s seat for at least that time.

“Still, I will retire sooner than I do, so don’t resent me.”

Muttering that, Kariel looked at her office.

The landscape filled with piles of paperwork made even bureaucrats sick.

But Kariel was at least a medicine major.

Ministers and central government officials must be in a landscape that is worse than this.

“It never ends.”

Even if it doesn’t seem like it’s there, if you actually look for it, it’s like the overflow is the job, so there were a lot of problems when I looked closely at the things that had been passed by so far.

Each one is trivial, but when you put it all together, it becomes a huge problem.

Even from Kariel’s point of view, I wanted to cover this up and move on, but I had to save even a single penny due to the series of wars, so I had to cut my spending as much as possible.

By correcting trivial things and shutting down all the small irregularities that had been considered customary, he was able to secure a whopping 1/20 of the empire’s first quarter budget.

It seemed like a small amount since it was 1/20 of the budget for the first quarter, but it was a huge amount of money to support the subjugation army throughout the year.

With the results coming out like this, bureaucrats who expressed their dissatisfaction with overtime every day had no choice but to shut up.

Considering the unstable situation in the western continent, the rebel army and the small country alliance were not the end, so I had to save money and look at it, so I forcibly dragged my body that seemed like I was going to die from overwork to work.

As a result, everyone from the emperor to the lowest-ranking staff had faces dying like zombies.

Rumors were already widespread in the capital that the central government was the number one department that should never be visited.

* * *

“It is hell.”

Paperwork hell that never ends.

Kariel, who was imprisoned there, visited Miriel late one night.

Miriale, who had been waiting for her to come to her with sleepy eyes, approached with a smile.

Fortunately, I was healed by watching Miriael every night.

It was all thanks to Miriel that showed some mercy to the officials.

“I will study hard and help.”

“Well… … But when I was young, I had to play. Studying too much is not good.”

Kariel said while stroking Miriael’s hair.

Then Miriale inflated her cheeks out of what was so dissatisfying.

“I don’t want to play alone.”

My older brothers all work hard, but Miriel keeps studying, as if she feels sorry for spending a peaceful time alone.

Looking at her like that, Kariel rather increased the time to play.

It was because, like Miriel, she wished that she would not enter this hell as soon as possible, and that she had a happy time even when she was young.

“You may think so now, but later you will miss it.”

Kariel, who had been playing with Miriel inflating her cheeks, put her to bed and came out.

When we arrived at the emperor’s palace with a tired body, the old chamberlain bent down and said,

“Your Majesty, a crow has arrived from the North.”

At the report of the chamberlain, Kariel went inside with a firm expression.

“Meet Your Majesty.”

A crow dressed in black knelt down and offered a black piece of paper. it was a letter

Kariel read the letter.

“… … It finally moved.”

Finally, the Holy Kingdom moved.

That must mean that the old fox of Seongguk judged that there was a certain chance of winning.

“It’s going to be a tough fight.”

After muttering that, Kariel sighed softly.

After the temporary peace created by the emperor, we enter the era of full-scale fierce battles.