I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

TL/Editor: raei

Status: ongoing

Illustrations: none

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"It remains the same. As Aileen just said - someone qualified to stand beside me. And..."

As he spoke, Zion glanced at several women watching him with slightly tense eyes before continuing:

"Someone who survives this coming war."

"Ah."

Understanding dawned on everyone's faces at his words.

In such circumstances, deciding on an empress seemed almost laughable.

"Well, liking coffee would be a plus."

Zion smiled slightly as he added this final comment while lifting the teacup Fredo had filled.

In truth, what Zion had contemplated before answering wasn't about Fredo's question.

'After the war ends, will I remain here? Or return to my original time?'

This thought had entered his mind as soon as the topic of empress came up.

What would happen to him after completing the contract with the gods?

What had been his past self's intention?

Though the clues he'd gathered from gods and dragons were helping form a picture in his mind, it felt like one crucial key was still missing.

'Do I need to kill the Demon King to find out?'

Zion stared at his teacup for a moment, lost in thought.

Then a possibility began forming in his mind.

'I might be able to get one more clue before that.'

His eyes slowly grew distant with that thought.

---

"So Zion Agnes has finally held his coronation."

Wrath quietly spoke in the pitch-black abyss where not even a sliver of light existed.

"Then... it's war now? He's been preparing for it all this time."

Acrimosia frowned as she replied to Wrath.

The abyss churned violently, reflecting her mood.

"I want to get one good hit in before that... but nothing comes to mind."

She had been thinking about it constantly but couldn't come up with anything.

All their plans within the empire had already been disrupted.

Most of them by Zion Agnes himself.

"Still, we should be satisfied that one powerful force has joined our side."

Wrath spoke in a low voice, remembering the 'First Heaven' who had recently come to the demon realm.

But even at his words, Madness's furrowed brow didn't smooth.

"Hmm..."

She hummed thoughtfully with crossed arms.

After some time passed-

"You know."

Acrimosia's voice grew calmer as she slowly spoke.

"There's still one thing Zion Agnes hasn't touched in the empire's capital, right within the imperial palace complex."

"What do you mean? The imperial palace complex was devastated long ago...!"

Wrath's eyes sank deeper as he seemed to realize something and stopped mid-sentence.

"You mean the 'remnant' from the First Human-Demon War? That could certainly deal massive damage to the empire..."

A remnant that had dwelled deep within the imperial palace complex since before they had become Great Demon Generals.

That's why he hadn't recalled it immediately.

After briefly considering this remnant from the previous era, Wrath slowly shook his head.

"But we can't activate it with our power alone. That's why we've left it alone until now."

Essentially saying it was out of reach.

"It would be difficult unless our King personally intervened."

This essentially meant it was impossible.

Their King hadn't appeared even when the demon realm was defeated in the First Human-Demon War, or when two newly appointed Great Demons were killed.

There had been just one reaction recently, but nothing since then.

"Then I'll have to ask the King."

Acrimosia rose from her seat with those words.

"Where are you going?"

"Where do you think?"

Madness replied to Wrath's question as she walked away.

Of course, she knew.

That even if she personally went to ask, the King wouldn't move.

But she couldn't just do nothing.

Zion Agnes's reach was increasingly tightening around them, and they couldn't remain idle in such a situation.

Just as Acrimosia was about to leave the abyss-

-That won't be necessary.

A voice rang in their ears.

No, not in their ears.

It was a voice that started in their minds and carved itself deep into their consciousness - one that could not be refused.

The Demon Generals' bodies trembled as if struck by lightning from the unfathomable presence in that voice.

Their heads turned involuntarily, as if entranced.

A single being appeared at the edge of their vision.

-For I have come here.

In that moment-

"Oh, my King..."

The Demon Generals slowly began to kneel.

---

On the first floor of Bai Cheng Palace, the imperial palace where the emperor resided at the heart of the imperial palace complex.

Zion walked through what was now fully his palace with only a few close attendants, examining the interior.

'They described it quite thoroughly.'

Classical paintings adorned the inner walls.

They depicted the achievements of previous emperors who had ruled Agnes.

Though there were no labels indicating which emperor's achievements they showed, one could guess the era from how faded the paintings were.

Just then-

'That one...'

An unusual painting caught Zion's eye.

Unlike the others, it was the only one not commemorating an emperor's achievements.

Though the imperial palace complex was the background, the figures in the painting weren't an emperor but a single spear-wielding man fighting what appeared to be countless monsters.

'Is this from the First Human-Demon War?'

As Zion studied the painting that hadn't been mentioned even in the chronicle with questions in his eyes-

"That painting depicts the achievement of Magnus Flare, the first hero."

A voice came from behind Zion.

He turned to see First Prince Rubrious approaching.

The person Zion had wanted to meet here.

"Though not an emperor's achievement, it was specially included in Bai Cheng Palace because it was the decisive accomplishment that saved the imperial palace complex and entire capital while leading to victory in the First Human-Demon War."

Rubrious had been using honorifics with Zion since the moment he became emperor.

"What was the achievement?"

"Near the end of the First Human-Demon War, when the demon realm felt they were at a disadvantage, they made one desperate move. They directly attacked the capital, the empire's heart - specifically targeting the imperial palace complex at its center. They deployed two of the Four Great Demons and countless high-ranking demons under them."

After pausing for a few seconds to look at the painting, Rubrious continued:

"The attack was so sudden that the imperial palace complex couldn't properly respond and was about to fall completely when he appeared."

Magnus Flare, the first hero.

"Appearing alone without even his companions, he drove two Great Demons underground right there, leading to victory in the great war."

However, apparently even the strongest hero found simultaneously facing two Great Demons too much - Magnus sustained severe injuries in the battle and died not long after. This painting was created to commemorate his achievement.

'He couldn't eliminate them completely?'

Though one of Rubrious's expressions slightly bothered him, Zion didn't ask about it and moved straight to the main point.

"I'm going down to the basement now, so handle my duties until then."

The reason Zion had called the First Prince here.

He had originally planned to leave it to Evelyn, but she had departed for the border and wasn't currently in the imperial palace complex.

Questions filled Rubrious's eyes at Zion's words.

"Is there really any need to delegate?"

Rubrious knew.

That newly crowned emperors first had to visit the 'Dream of Stars' in the palace basement to perform some ceremony.

But that ceremony only took a few hours at most.

There was no need to delegate duties to others for that.

"It might take longer than expected."

Though the questions in the First Prince's eyes deepened at these words, Zion turned away as if having no intention of explaining further.

"We await your return, Your Majesty."

His close attendants bowed respectfully to Zion.

Accompanied by their and Rubrious's farewell, Zion's form disappeared completely into the dark underground passage of Bai Cheng Palace.

---

"Y-you've come again..."

These were Veila's first words upon seeing Zion on his third visit to the Dream of Stars, where she served as keeper.

Perhaps due to Zion's unprecedented behavior during his previous two visits?

Anxiety rather than welcome filled her eyes as she looked at him.

Seeing her reaction, Zion smiled slightly and spoke:

"You know why I'm here?"

"O-of course! First, congratulations on ascending to the throne, Emperor Zion Agnes!"

Veila said this while deeply bowing her head.

'To think he'd really return after becoming emperor.'

Though she had somewhat expected it, it was still surprising enough that she took a deep breath to calm herself before raising her head again.

"Shall we proceed with the registration ceremony?"

"Let's do that."

At Zion's brief answer, Veila closed her eyes and-

-ŒØŦþøĦ

Chanted a spell in language unpronounceable by human vocal cords.

FLASH!

A translucent contract appeared floating before Zion.

"Just drop one drop of blood there and it's done."

Without hesitation at her words, Zion let a single drop of his blood fall on the contract. In that moment- FLASH!

With light too bright to look at directly, the contract split in two and merged into both Zion's and Veila's bodies.

How much time passed like that?

As the contract fully absorbed into their bodies and the surrounding light nearly faded-

"Congratulations, Emperor Zion."

Veila opened her eyes, spread her arms wide and spun once in place as she spoke:

"Now all artifacts here belong to you."

Everything in the Agnes Empire belonged to the emperor, and the artifacts in the Dream of Stars were no exception.

That's why emperors who ascended to the throne had claimed ownership of the artifacts through this registration ceremony.

Of course, whether the artifacts would acknowledge them was another matter entirely.

"Is that so? Then I can do whatever I want with everything here?"

Perhaps sensing something in Zion's slight smile as he looked around?

"What? Yes... that's true, but why are you suddenly asking..."

Veila anxiously watched Zion's expression as she asked.

His next words confirmed her intuition had been correct.

"Then I'll be taking all the artifacts here."

A moment of silence.

Then-

"WHAAAAAT?"

Veila's eyes widened as far as they could go as she lost the composure she had maintained for hundreds of years and cried out to Zion:

"Wh-what are you saying? Take them?"

"Exactly what I said. I'm bringing everything here up to the surface."

"But, but...!"

After answering as if he wouldn't accept any objections, Zion immediately turned around.

He had been thinking about this since his first visit to the Dream of Stars.

It was a tremendous waste to have such exceptional artifacts buried here unable to demonstrate their power.

They would surely provide great help in strengthening their forces.

"Ah, and when the artifacts are brought up, you'll come up too."

Finally turning his head toward Veila, who had collapsed to the ground muttering "Sob, sob, I'm ruined," Zion said this before leaving the Dream of Stars.

Mystical fog immediately filled his vision and surroundings.

Zion slowly walked through this fog.

'This way?'

Though he should have returned to the surface now that the registration ceremony was complete, Zion's steps headed in a direction far from the surface.

He went deeper and deeper beneath Bai Cheng Palace.

Yet his eyes remained as calm as when he first entered.

This had been his true purpose for coming underground from the start.

The registration ceremony was merely a secondary objective.

Veila, the keeper of the Dream of Stars, was a homunculus created through dragon magic.

Then where was the dragon who had created her?

The answer was surprisingly close.

'Right here beneath Bai Cheng Palace.'

The place Zion had turned back from during his first visit here, deciding to deal with it later.

That's where the one who created Veila was.

'Wonder if their personality is similar to before?'

Even without the chronicle, Zion already knew their identity.

Because he had personally imprisoned them here when he was the Eternal Emperor.

He hadn't known they were the same being during his previous visit, but now he was certain.

'Better to subdue them now than deal with trouble after war breaks out.'

Plus he had things he wanted to ask.

How long had he walked like that?

Just as Zion's quickly moving form finally entered the being's 'domain'-

[Entering Trial of the Eternal Emperor]

The same mechanical voice he had heard in the Tower of Causality rang in his ears.

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