Chapter: 812
The decision to keep my father-in-law’s retirement under wraps was made with great care.
He wouldn’t want any commotion at the start of the New Year, and if news of his retirement leaked, all sorts of nobles would come flocking to verify the truth. He had decided to retire to gain some freedom, so there was no need to deal with the hassle right up until his retirement.
The only time the commotion about his retirement would be acceptable was right after he actually stepped down. A retirement celebration for a veteran who had dedicated decades to the Empire—a new duke would be born, and that would be the time for the Empire to come together and applaud!
“Hey, Tabeu.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“What’s the retirement thing?”
“Umm…”
But although my father-in-law, the Vice Captain, and the Gold Duke swore to keep quiet, there were two little mouths present that no noble could stop.
Well, to be exact, there was really just one.
‘What to do?’
I hesitated, caught in the sparkling gaze of the Crown Princess.
My mouth felt like it had been glued shut. I could perfectly explain the dictionary definition of retirement, but I was cautious as I didn’t want my personal bias to seep through.
I’d probably describe retirement as the most beautiful and sacred act in the world—a concept everyone should desire to achieve.
‘No way.’
That would be a problem. The Crown Princess could easily absorb the words of her parents and of the mighty Uncle Duke. Installing the notion of ‘retirement = the truth and endpoint of life’ in that little head would be troubling.
A slip of the tongue could easily turn the next emperor into a rebellious ninja wannabe. The one who must carry everything of the Empire and the continent shouldn’t be filled with notions of freedom but rather of responsibility.
“Retirement is, you see…”
I subtly glanced at the three dukes. They were seasoned nobles who had lived long enough to see children and grandchildren. Surely they’d understand how to respond to such a pure question from a child.
But the moment our eyes met, the dukes all diverted their gazes, as if to say, “You answer it yourself.”
‘Damn it.’
You old geezers, how can you call yourselves dukes then?
Of course, as dukes, they had the luxury of ignoring the desperate pleading gestures of the Minister of Justice. What reason does a duke have to step into trouble when they could simply maintain their status?
“…Your Highness, you know about tag, right?”
“Uh-huh! I played it with Pedi yesterday!”
“And you know that the one who’s ‘it’ has to run around really hard, right?”
“Uh-huh! I ran so much!”
Thinking about the desperate life of the ‘it’ player made me chuckle at the Crown Princess’s pouting face, which was full of disappointment and anger.
Meanwhile, the Crown Prince also sported a slightly annoyed expression, following in his sister’s footsteps. It’s nice to see that the siblings are getting along.
“Retirement is like passing on that ‘it’ role to someone else. If one person keeps being ‘it,’ it can be quite exhausting, right?”
Alright, I managed to catch myself in that metaphor.
Retirement is like an ‘it’ player who has run around alone for a long time finally shedding that role. It’s about passing the tagging duty to someone else and getting to relax.
This way, I can dodge the unconditional desire and fantasy regarding retirement while still vaguely explaining its significance. Whether it’s dukedom or being ‘it,’ when you pass it on to others, that’s retirement, right?
“Really?”
“Yes, Your Highness. Pedi’s grandfather here has been ‘it’ for a long time. So naturally, he should pass it on to someone else, right?”
“Exactly! If you do it alone for too long, you’ll get tired!”
I couldn’t suppress a wry smile at the unexpectedly fierce agreement.
Ah, Pedi. Why didn’t you just take it easy a bit? How hard have you evaded the Crown Princess to end up this flustered?
“Red Grandpa! Don’t suffer anymore! You don’t have to run anymore!”
“Pfft.”
And with that mighty assurance from the Crown Princess, the Gold Duke couldn’t help but chuckle.
In fact, I barely held back my laughter, too. But I had to, since she genuinely believed her grandfather had actually been running around playing tag. The innocence of a child is truly pure.
‘That massive figure, playing tag…’
Suddenly, I imagined my father-in-law chasing someone in a game of tag.
A muscular warrior towering at two meters bellowing with rage in an endless game of tag. The sight of my father-in-law was quite the scary mental image.
‘Ugh.’
The laughter that threatened to break through evaporated just like that. That’s a terrifying thought all on its own.
“Thank you, Your Highness. It’s truly an honor for you to commend this old man’s deeds.”
Fortunately, my father-in-law smiled at the Crown Princess’s words instead of showing any embarrassment.
His years of training against countless children and grandchildren served him well, as he remained steady even before the Crown Princess. If it were me, I would have had a muscle spasm or struggled to say anything for quite a while.
‘Experience truly cannot be overlooked.’
My father-in-law had lived about three times longer than I had. Even if I strode around bragging about my parenting experience, I was but a firefly beneath a full moon compared to him.
“By the way, Your Highness, you must promise not to talk about what we just discussed to anyone.”
“Why?”
“There are certain people that need to be caught stealthily after the red grandpa retires from being ‘it.’ If they discover that it’s changed, he can’t sneak up on them. So we must keep it a secret until the very end.”
“Uh-huh! I understand! It’s a secret!”
Although even I didn’t fully grasp what I was trying to convey, the Crown Princess nodded vigorously.
As long as she got that, that was good enough. The Crown Princess can be a bit stubborn, but she’s not the type to lie or break promises.
“Look at you, Cal. You’ve become quite the adept father. I almost feel a pang of jealousy as if I’m losing my granddaughter to you.”
“Isn’t that right? Who knows who’s part of His Highness’s family anymore?”
“First, you steal someone’s daughter, and now you’re going after the granddaughter too?”
At the Vice Captain’s words, my father-in-law and the Gold Duke let out shared chuckles.
It feels a bit strange to have suddenly become the thief.
*
This year’s New Year’s Ball ended without much fuss. Given the considerable uproar at the end of last year, I expected the beginning of the New Year to pass quietly.
I was certain of it.
“Did you say retirement?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. It’s embarrassing, but I feel I’ve grown too old and foolish to continue serving you, Your Majesty.”
On the last day of the New Year’s Ball, the Iron-Blood Duke privately requested an audience to formally ask to step down from his dukedom. He claimed he lacked the vigor and wisdom needed to assist the Emperor any longer.
His words were regrettable and disappointing, but I couldn’t try to persuade him otherwise. In fact, the Iron-Blood Duke had already stuck around longer than I or the Emperor desired. At his age, it wouldn’t be surprising for him to have retired long ago.
Though he had delegated much of his work and authority to his successor, the noble face of the dukedom and the Empire still rested with Iron-Blood Duke.
“If you think you’re too old and foolish, how many young and intelligent nobles are left in this Empire? Besides, just by your existence, the eastern states fear this Empire and don’t dare raise their heads.”
“How would they fear me? I merely punished the unruly on behalf of the great imperial family and the Empire. They are afraid of Your Majesty wielding that sword, not of me.”
At the Iron-Blood Duke’s polite but firm words, I couldn’t help but sigh softly.
Yeah, there was no way to dissuade him once he’d made up his mind. If I wanted to stop his retirement, I should have prevented the transfer of power to his successor in the first place.
However, the Emperor accepted the Iron-Blood Duke’s preparations for retirement. It was time to grant rest to a duke who had dedicated his life to the Empire while also gently ushering out a duke with such formidable power.
“Today, while people across the continent praise the Minister of Justice as the best, both the Emperor and I are aware that the young duke here is equally unparalleled in the continent. We are grateful that you have used your strength for the imperial family and the Empire.”
“I am simply honored that a mere mortal’s small ability has been esteemed so highly.”
That comment about ‘small ability’ made me chuckle.
If the Minister is the strongest sword in the continent, then the Iron-Blood Duke is the continent’s fiercest warrior. Destroying enemies with weapons of all kinds, even with bare hands—if that’s just ‘small ability,’ then what would ‘great ability’ even be? Just imagining it sends shivers down my spine.
“Your name will be eternally remembered by the Empire. As the 18th Duke of Wulken, and member of the Risiragui Order, Oliver Valenti.”
“It has been an honor to live as Oliver of Kefellofen.”
When I offered my last words of thanks to the Iron-Blood Duke, he knelt and bowed his head.
Among the pillars that held up the Empire for decades, the name ‘Iron-Blood’ would now fade away.
‘The next in line is Richard Valenti.’
Perhaps the Great Emperor had blessed this situation; Richard Valenti, the next Duke of Wulken, was indeed an exceptional talent. Throughout the years, he had managed to take on the dukedom and govern the Wulken estate seamlessly in lieu of the Iron-Blood Duke.
Moreover, as the firstborn and only son of the Iron-Blood Duke, he had inherited his father’s martial legacy well. Of course, he inherited more of his father’s tenacity rather than his entire level of skill.
‘If iron-blooded warriors keep popping up, that would be weirder.’
But in the end, this wasn’t an age of brute force, but one where the administrative capabilities were desperately needed. After all, isn’t Richard Valenti a noble who is much younger and sharper than any ‘best sword’ in the Empire?
So let’s welcome the 19th Duke of Wulken with delight!
My head began to spin. That the Iron-Blood Duke stepped down was already a few hours ago, yet I was still reeling from the impact of the dukedom’s transition.
‘What should the new title be?’
It was the title for the new Duke of Wulken. Once settled, it would be a name he must carry for a lifetime.
There are no fixed customs or precedents for naming a duke. Rather, it is ultimately up to the current emperor to consider the new duke’s characteristics and capabilities. It would have been easier if there were some concrete legal basis.
‘Benson, Iron-Blood, Marcilio, Gold, Wise.’
I thought of the five pillars present now,
‘Struggle, Blood Sword, Designated Sword, Clear Sea, Justice.’
Next, I recalled the five first-class meritorious subjects who served the Great Emperor Amanca.
This is a name that must elevate the prestige of the second name of the duke’s title. It can’t be decided carelessly.
And using any previous names would be best to avoid; it wouldn’t convey any sincerity for the dukedom if names overlapped.
‘Even the Iron Duke’s descendants managed to name their dukes well.’
I racked my brain as much as I could. The emperors who nearly brought the Empire to its demise also successfully named their dukes without causing any controversy. I certainly can’t fall behind those wannabe emperors…
‘Ah.’
It suddenly dawned on me that the Duke of Wulken was located in the eastern part of the Empire, and Richard Valenti was the first person to rise to the dukedom during my tenure.
Moreover, isn’t Richard said to be rather gentle and cheerful? Then, that title I just thought of would fit him perfectly.
*
A week after the New Year’s Ball, the announcement from the Imperial Family shook the Empire.
[Following the 18th Duke of Wulken, Oliver Valenti of Wulken, Richard Valenti is named the 19th Duke of Wulken and becomes the head of the Valenti family.]
A shocking announcement that declared the replacement of a pillar that supported the Empire for decades.
[In the name of the Great Amanca, Richard Valenti, the 19th Duke of Wulken, is bestowed with the title of Dawn (黎明).]
An exciting announcement revealing the long-awaited name of a new duke following the Wise Duke.
Thanks to this, the smooth start to the New Year turned tumultuous in the blink of an eye.
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