I Want to Quit Being a Royal Guard, but the Emperor Won’t Let Me

Adrian Vale has one ambition: survive long enough to retire. Unfortunately, he has awakened in a fantasy empire he remembers from a story—and that empire is destined to collapse. Its feared Emperor will become the center of a catastrophe that destroys the capital, tears the kingdom apart, and leaves countless people dead. Adrian knows enough about the future to be terrified, but not enough to trust it completely. His plan is simple: stay unnoticed, avoid dangerous assignments, save his money, and get as far away from the imperial palace as possible. Then he tries to fail a royal guard examination. A clumsy mistake is mistaken for a brilliant tactical maneuver. An honest complaint sounds like fearless criticism. An attempt to resign becomes evidence of extraordinary loyalty. Every time Adrian tries to prove he is completely ordinary, the Empire discovers another reason to believe he is a genius. Soon, the most feared man in the Empire wants him at his side, the palace guard is studying his supposed techniques, and assassins are beginning to fear a knight who barely wants to hold a sword. But the rumours are changing the future Adrian thought he understood. Behind the Empire’s glittering court lies a conspiracy feeding on corruption, debt, political rivalries, and carefully manufactured disasters. His accidental successes cannot solve every problem—and eventually, his mistakes will have consequences that no misunderstanding can laugh away. Adrian wants no throne, no title, no legend, and absolutely no responsibility. The Emperor has other ideas. A long-running fantasy comedy of catastrophic misunderstandings, reluctant heroism, palace intrigue, improbable reputation, and one knight’s increasingly desperate quest for a peaceful retirement. — Description from novelcodex.orgFull novel: I Want to Quit Being a Royal Guard, but the Emperor Won’t Let Me — read the rest free on N​o⁠v​e⁠l​C⁠o​d⁠e​x⁠.​o⁠r​g⁠