IWBNAM Chapter 2 (Part 1)
by Brie- A Letter of Resignation
“Are you staging a protest against me, Chancellor-to-be?”
The emperor’s reaction was exactly as expected. With his head politely lowered, Lee Juwon answered that he was not. Even to himself, it looked like nothing else. He had been appointed Imperial Marshal, so it would seem he’d grown bold enough to voice his complaints.
“I am not asking to retire today. I will finish everything I must take care of before stepping down.”
“To finish everything you must take care of, you’d need to devote your entire life.”
An annoyed voice came back. There was even a hint of anger. The imperial guards and secretaries in the office watched the two with tense expressions. Lee Juwon ignored their gazes completely and answered calmly.
“If one truly wishes to, there is no limit to how long one could continue. But I have thought it over, and I believe it is better to leave my post cleanly while I still have regrets. I know myself well. I will eventually grow greedy, and when that happens, the moment will come when I cross a line. I do not wish for that.”
“Oh? The moment you cross a line?”
“Yes. I fear I may even touch the lines I must never cross.”
“…Everyone, leave.”
The emperor frowned and gestured for everyone in the office to leave. Then he clicked his tongue a few times as he looked at him and spoke.
“Did we not make a promise, Nael? That you would protect my woman.”
Lee Juwon gave a small nod.
“Yes, Your Majesty. That is why I have tried my best to protect her until now.”
No matter how many times the original Azani reviewed the matter, he concluded that the woman was not fit to be empress. She didn’t need to be killed, but he seriously considered whether causing a miscarriage might be safer for the next heir to the throne. Had she been nothing more than a vaguely favored concubine, he would have acted long ago. Azani was the kind of man who could sacrifice a woman or a child without blinking if it was for the greater cause.
But the emperor loved her.
Because the emperor had affectionately called him Nael and asked him to protect his woman.
Unexpectedly, though he never showed it, the original Azani held a kind of human fondness for the emperor, who was ten years younger. Even when he behaved arrogantly, he knew how to bow sincerely when necessary and wait patiently. And he did not dislike this man who confidently looked up toward the distant sky and declared he would love this empire.
Even while knowing there was a better candidate for empress, he ultimately could not force the issue and chose to follow the emperor’s will. He arranged suitable adoptive parents for the parentless woman and punished those who mocked her humble origins. For Azani, that was as much as he could do.
“You only need to continue as you have been. I know very well how much effort you’ve put in.”
“No one knows how or when a person’s heart may change. The day will surely come when Her Majesty begins to regard me with suspicion, and I fear even imagining what decisions I might make then.”
Lee Juwon used the matter of the empress as an excuse. After all, how could he say, My soul is an eighteen-year-old college student from the twenty-first century who got possessed while playing a game, I’m not confident living as Azani.
Wasn’t this a perfectly convincing reason? It sounded far more reasonable than simply saying he felt he had fulfilled his duties and wanted to retire early.
“Alina is not that kind of woman. I’ve told you many times, haven’t I? Alina respects you.”
“Are you certain? Do you believe a person’s heart is unchanging?”
The emperor paused. Memories that flashed through his mind seemed to make him hesitate. How many betrayals had he witnessed throughout his life? There were those who schemed from the beginning, those who lost themselves to greed and betrayed him, and gentle people who turned vicious and cruel. Why would the empress be any different? He wanted to believe she was… but still.
“I understand your intentions. And I understand there is no hidden motive. So for now, withdraw. I also need time to think.”
With a weary expression, the emperor dismissed him. Lee Juwon offered a respectful bow and left.
The news spread instantly. Those who heard it questioned their own ears and asked again if the information was correct.
“Marshal Azani submitted his resignation? That Azani?”
It made no sense. Why would that Azani suddenly step down at this moment? Only a single day after being appointed Imperial Marshal.
“It is certain. His Majesty did not grant permission immediately, but judging by the situation, it seems likely he will accept the resignation soon.”
“Huh….”
Marshal Fabian Valois turned to look at his close aides, his face plainly showing disbelief. Those gathered for the meeting had heard the news with him, and their expressions were not much different from their superior’s. Three people froze with shocked faces, two shook their heads and muttered to themselves, five exchanged glances and shrugged, and one man frowned sharply and folded his arms.
“Why on earth? Did he give any reason?”
“He said he wants to step down without regret now that he has fulfilled his duties. His Majesty met with him privately afterward, but we don’t know exactly what was discussed.”
“I see. After securing the position of Imperial Marshal first, hm?”
Valois knew well that Azani was not the type to cling to power. He was a man ready to sacrifice himself for his lord if necessary, and he had indeed stepped forward without hesitation when the emperor had been in danger. But requesting to retire right after being appointed Marshal felt strange. If that was his plan, he should have hinted earlier that he wished to retire. Was he determined to secure the privileges of the Imperial Marshal before anything else?
“It is puzzling, indeed. He never showed any sign of it, then behaves as if having a sudden change of mood overnight… They say His Majesty was quite displeased.”
“Of course. The man appointed as Imperial Chancellor suddenly announcing he will resign? This means the entire cabinet will have to be reconsidered from the start. Do you know how many posts are tied to that one seat?”
Valois held back the comment that even that cold-headed Chief of Staff had a surprisingly irresponsible side. He couldn’t grasp what Azani’s true intention was in dropping such a bomb.
“Could it not be a political protest? Marshal Azani was displeased with the future empress, after all.”
One aide spoke up. Valois glanced at the others. They were all nodding, apparently thinking along the same lines.
“A protest…”
Valois left his words hanging.
“It seems he wanted to emphasize his importance.”
“Since he cannot change the empress, he must be hinting for some consideration instead…”
“But if that were the case, Marshal Azani has already done quite a lot for the future empress…”
Several of them cautiously offered their opinions. The common belief was that Azani did not sincerely wish to retire.
Listening to his subordinates, Valois organized his thoughts. Emphasizing his own importance did not seem to be the reason. He had already received ample compensation for his efforts.
He had been appointed Imperial Marshal and designated as Imperial Chancellor, the position right below the emperor. He had received more than enough rewards and honors. What could he possibly lack?
“I hesitate to say it, but could there be something related to the future empress?”
“I have no idea. Marshal Azani is a man whose inner thoughts are impossible to read.”
“What if he genuinely wants to retire?”
“In a time like this, when the civil war has only ended and there is still a mountain of work left? Isn’t it a little early to say the empire is completely stabilized?”
“Exactly. And after that, we still have to conquer those Union bastards.”
Their chatter continued as everyone tried to figure out Azani’s true intent.
“Could he have been threatened with something we don’t know about? As in, someone told him they would expose his secret unless he retired.”
“Well, that’s a frightening thought. A third party capable of blackmailing Azani by holding a weakness over him?”
“Indeed. Makes one wonder what kind of weakness could make that infamous Azani give up everything?”
“Hmm…”
Bitter smiles appeared on their faces. Azani was unmarried and had no lover. He did not accumulate wealth illegally, nor did he enjoy any questionable hobbies.
If he had any oddity, it was that he once picked up a hamster and doted on it.
It was said to be an abandoned pet that had fallen ill, and rumors claimed that treating it had cost him several months’ salary of a low-ranking civil servant. Thus came the enduring gossip: a man who despises people but is strangely kind to rodents.
In any case, though his reputation as a human being was terrible, he was fair in his work, never made a single dirty scandal, and as a public figure, had shown no faults worth criticizing.
“Could it simply be burnout syndrome…?”
A junior staff officer hesitantly offered his thought.
“Oh? You think our esteemed Chief of Staff is suffering from burnout?”
When the superior replied with a teasing laugh, the others began to laugh as well. The junior officer flushed in embarrassment and lowered his head.
“Well, who knows, so don’t laugh too much, all of you. Who can say that isn’t actually the correct answer?”
With a faint smile, Valois spoke in a composed tone. He did not believe it was possible, but for now, he decided to keep an eye on Azani’s next moves. No matter how hard they tried, none of them felt confident they could grasp the schemes of such a seasoned strategist and prepare a countermeasure.
“We don’t know how His Majesty will respond. They say he didn’t reject the resignation firmly.”
“If Marshal Azani’s will to retire is that strong, perhaps His Majesty should accept it.”
“Is that just your wish speaking?”
“Come now, we all know it’s everyone’s wish.”
Though they did not know Azani’s true intent, imagining a world where he no longer appeared in the Empire’s highest council made them cheerful. They were genuinely prepared to welcome such news with open arms.
“The one who’d be happiest would be Admiral Kranaha.”
One man casually spoke the name of one of the marshals appointed alongside their superior.
“Hm.”
A subtle silence fell, followed by quiet chuckling. By now, the news surely must have reached Kranaha’s side as well. What kind of reaction would that brute show upon hearing Azani might retire?
“I absolutely have to go to the club tonight.”
Valois sighed, apologizing inwardly to the wife and son waiting for him at home. Normally he wanted to go straight home after work and spend time with his family, but today he would have to delay it. His colleagues were likely feeling the same, and the drinking session would probably last late into the night.
Around the same time, Admiral Antigonos Kranaha received the same report as Valois. His first reaction to Azani’s expressed intention to retire was as follows: he tilted his head slightly to the left, furrowed his brow in an intimidating scowl, and slammed his right hand on the desk.
“Why the hell is that bastard suddenly doing this?”
Exactly as predicted, without a hair out of place. Aide Schmidt answered without the slightest flinch at his superior’s vicious reaction.
“He said nothing beyond, ‘I have fulfilled my duties, so please allow me to step down and rest in peace.’ It seems he gave no additional reasons. He likely shared the true reason during the private audience afterward.”
“He’s fulfilled his duties? Hm.”
Kranaha leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. The excuse Azani put forward sounded reasonable.
Over the past several years, Azani had served as Crown Prince Sirius’s right-hand man. Unlike Kranaha or their fellow field commanders, Azani had carried out his role in the noble world, countering their schemes and devising strategies.
Now that the corrupt old noble faction had been completely purged, saying he had fulfilled his duty was not entirely wrong. But was he a man who only excelled at sly plotting? He was also an exceptional senior administrator who could perfectly handle whatever task he was given. There was no sudden need for him to retire.
“Rumor says he announced his desire to retire intentionally, hoping to emphasize his importance before the imperial wedding.”
“No. That won’t be it.”
Kranaha rejected it immediately. As much as he hated to admit it, Nael de Azani was not the type to flaunt himself. And he had already received ample compensation for his service. There wasn’t a single instance where he had been slighted despite being the top contributor.
“If it’s not something related to the empress, then I cannot guess what intention he had for requesting retirement.”
“It’s fine. I also have no idea what that bastard is thinking.”
Just yesterday, during the marshal appointment ceremony, he had behaved no differently than usual. So why the hell was he suddenly screaming about retiring after only one day? Did he have some dramatic change of heart overnight? Did he wake up feeling the futility of life or something?
“Marshal Azani is not the sort who would bring it up just because he was bored. If he truly means it…”
The close aides present in the office spoke with gleaming eyes. He was not someone to speak meaningless words, and yet he had suddenly announced he wished to retire. That meant Azani’s retirement might soon become reality.
His Majesty, too, seemed to be seriously troubled by it. If Marshal Azani sincerely asked to step down, His Majesty was the sort who would accept it. He was not one to force a man to keep working when he wished otherwise.
“If Marshal Azani steps down on his own, nothing could be better, but…”
“It’s unsettling… since we have no idea what he’s scheming…”
“Did His Majesty suspect he might purge his own merit subjects…?”
“It’s far too early for that. We haven’t even dealt with the Union yet…”
While Kranaha remained silent, his aides exchanged their own opinions. Kranaha listened quietly without uncrossing his arms. A vague sense of frustration filled his chest so heavily that he couldn’t bring himself to speak. He simply wanted to go to Azani and demand answers directly. What is your reason? There must be one, isn’t there? What are you thinking? What do you want?
But even if he grabbed him by the collar and shook him, he wouldn’t hear the truth. Azani was that kind of man. A thorough secret-keeper. A chronic doubter who trusted no one. A man who’d thrown away the very concept of humanity. A man whose only friend was a rodent.
Kranaha pictured Azani in his mind. His appearance clearly marked him as a white East Asian mixed-blood, his expression always cold, and whenever his well-shaped lips opened, nine times out of ten, it was to say something unpleasant. It shouldn’t have been so easy to be consistently unlikeable, yet he had managed it flawlessly.
“That bastard requested to step down of his own accord… Could it be a health problem?”
He muttered the words softly, barely above a whisper, yet his aide somehow understood and answered no.
“As far as I know, his annual checkup last year showed no issues. I will look into whether he has visited any hospital recently.”
“Hm. If he had gone to a major hospital, there’s no way it wouldn’t have spread as rumor. So it’s likely not a health problem…”
He didn’t know what Azani aimed for by mentioning retirement. Part of him wondered whether there truly was no hidden intention at all, that the man simply believed his role was finished. But if asked whether he found that possibility comforting, his answer would be…
“Look into whether there’s any new information coming in. If anything turns up, report to me immediately.”
Kranaha issued the order. His chest tightened again.
Nobody arranged it formally, yet nearly all the high-ranking generals gathered at the luxury officers’ club, Lorelei. Among the newly appointed Five Marshals, excluding Nael de Azani, Fabian Valois, Antigonos Kranaha, Nicolas Zérodel, and Jurgen von Graim had taken their seats first, and the senior generals sat around them as they arrived.