I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

TL/Editor: Rungir

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At the entrance of Chimseong Palace.

"Can you handle going alone?"

There, Thierry, the head of the eternal shadows, asked Zion. Zion was off to a ceremony, an event to officially recognize him as the successor designated by the emperor. It wasn't supposed to be a dangerous place to go solo, but Thierry seemed concerned.

He knew something else was bound to happen.

"And what about the tasks I assigned?"

Zion, tilting his head slightly, asked. Thierry, as a shadow, couldn't join him for this event.

Thierry responded to Zion's question, a hint of doubt in his voice. As Zion was the rightful leader of the shadows, Thierry would obey him without question. But he couldn't help but worry about this specific instruction.

If anything were to go wrong, their plan would crumble.

"Hey! Are you doubting me? Have I ever steered us wrong?"

Before Zion could respond, Liushina, standing next to him, suddenly stepped up and voiced her thoughts.

"Master, can I go with you?"

The millennial witch posed her question to Zion, her eyes filled with anticipation and vitality.

But Zion dismissed her request with a shake of his head.

"No. Besides, what you're hoping for isn't happening this time."

"...?"

Liushina looked puzzled. Zion's denial wasn't what confused her. She had a knack for sensing danger, being a seasoned warrior herself. Despite sensing a strong scent of danger from Zion, he was dismissing it.

"Just wait a little."

Zion turned away, offering a smile but refusing to address her question.

"Take care."

Thierry quietly advised, watching Zion walk away.

Zion thought Thierry's warning was misplaced.

The ones who needed to be careful were not him, but his opponents.

The setting sun cast a long shadow of Zion across Baeksung Palace.

---

---

The Agnes Imperial City hosted eight palaces, each designed for different ceremonies.

One of them was Yiseong Palace, ranking fourth in size.

Within a spacious hall inside this palace, a crowd had already begun to gather.

'Such a busy place.'

Lergan, the leader of Icarus, watched the arriving guests with a cool gaze, noting the buzz around the place.

The ceremony recognizing Prince Zion as the successor seemed to be the talk of the town, attracting a larger number of nobles than usual.

The eyes of the gathered nobles were filled with keen interest.

Their curiosity was undoubtedly directed towards Prince Zion, who was about to make his appearance.

'The more onlookers, the better.'

As Lergan began to smile,

"Long time no see, Mr. Lergan. How have you been?"

Several nobles recognized Lergan and started to approach him, offering their greetings.

With his standing as the highest-ranked magician of the summoning tower and a prodigy who established his unique realm before hitting 40, reaching level 7.

Furthermore, as the right-hand man to the Third Prince Enoch and the leader of the mage group Icarus, Lergan had become a key figure in the Imperial City.

It was only natural for those hoping to hitch a ride on his rising star to flock to him.

"Haha, you look more handsome than the last time I saw you. Are you still single...?"

"I'm Brul from the Penrol family. I read your recent paper on summoning magic, and it was truly enlightening..."

The ones gathering around him were of lower status, hoping to catch any crumbs of his success or to enhance their networks.

Meanwhile, Lergan was casually responding to them, his eyes firmly fixed on the prominent seats at the side of the hall.

His gaze landed on the Third Prince Enoch.

"......"

In contrast to Lergan, Enoch was quietly observing the ceremony, surrounded only by a handful of close high-ranking nobles.

Enoch's eyes met Lergan's.

The Third Prince nodded almost imperceptibly, enough only for Lergan to catch it.

The light in Enoch's eyes seemed to entrust everything to Lergan.

Enoch's presence at Prince Zion's ceremony seemed out of place.

But Lergan's steady gaze suggested this was all part of the plan.

'Everything is set.'

Lergan thought to himself, returning the Third Prince's nod.

The Third Prince, his leader, was the most important witness to the upcoming events.

Someone whose presence at today's event was essential.

'It's a bit concerning that the Fifth Princess is here too...'

With that thought, Lergan turned his gaze to the Fifth Princess Diana, seated on the other side's high seat.

The mere presence of another member of the royal family at a ceremony bestowing the official heirship seemed ironic.

While Enoch's attendance had been arranged beforehand, Diana's presence was baffling.

'Well, it won't hurt to have another royal witness to today's events.'

Lergan's thoughts concluded as he observed Diana, her eyes full of curiosity and anticipation as she watched the ceremony.

"Interestingly, today's guest of honor is tardy."

One of the nobles surrounding Lergan cast his gaze towards the entrance of the hall and commented.

"The guest of honor... are you referring to His Highness Zion?"

"Indeed, the one who has been making waves in the capital recently by quelling one of the calamities, the Phantom Army."

"Hehe, I still find it hard to believe. Who would have imagined that 'that' Prince Zion could suppress a calamity..."

Others around subtly nodded, agreeing with the words of the middle-aged nobleman, distinguished by his carefully groomed brown mustache.

Truly, none could have predicted it.

That Prince Zion, once viewed as the royal family's embarrassment, would resolve one of the disasters.

While he recently completed the succession ceremony, this was a basic rite for any direct royal descendant, and hence the assessment of Zion had improved only marginally.

However, this situation was a different matter.

An unprecedented accomplishment that none in the royal family had achieved.

Naturally, Zion's evaluation had to ascend dramatically.

"The Emperor must have foreseen this and appointed Prince Zion as the successor......"

The nobleman, stroking his chin and speculating, silenced himself upon glancing at Lergan beside him.

It was common knowledge that Lergan was a confidant of the Third Prince.

Just then.

"But did you know? There's speculation that the Phantom Army's subjugation wasn't solely due to Prince Zion's efforts."

A curly-haired male bureaucrat with bushy eyebrows, who had been observing the conversation, subtly interjected.

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"From what I've heard, not only was Prince Zion present during the Phantom Army's subjugation, but also Liam Rainer, the retired captain of the demon slaying squad, and even the Ash Lion Squad."

"Huh, is that so? If that's the case......"

"Yes, it implies that Prince Zion might have had assistance from Prince Evelyn. There's even a possibility that Prince Evelyn orchestrated everything from the start."

Everyone present was aware of Evelyn Agnes's fondness for Zion. Evelyn had left the imperial city on a demonic boundary expedition.

The presence of the Ash Lion Squad, the elite knights under Evelyn Agnes, was enough to spark suspicion.

No, it was enough for confirmation rather than suspicion.

"......Well, I had been wondering how Prince Zion managed to suppress the calamity, but if the Ash Lion Squad was involved, it becomes much more plausible."

"Huh, then shouldn't we question the legitimacy of the succession?"

"That would be the case if it's proven. What's your opinion, Mr. Lergan?"

The mustached nobleman asked, turning towards Lergan.

As Lergan, a subtle smile gracing his face, prepared to respond,

"His Highness Prince Zion Agnes has arrived!"

A booming announcement emanated from a courtier stationed at the palace's main entrance.

Naturally, all eyes were drawn towards the grand gateway.

Then, with a resonant creak, the doors parted, and Zion stepped into the palace.

In that moment, as if submerged in a frigid lake, the atmosphere within the hall abruptly stiffened.

A silence fell.

And, slowly, ever so slowly, within this silence, only the rhythmic echo of Zion's footsteps reverberated.

Zion, calmly crossing the center of the hall.

The onlookers' pupils flitted as they tracked Zion's movements.

The dominating aura radiating from Zion, and the chilling energy that surged with each step, effortlessly subdued the crowd.

"Is that individual... truly Prince Zion?"

A hushed utterance slipped from someone who was witnessing Zion for the first time.

The assortment of adjectives that had clung to Prince Zion like persistent shadows.

None of these descriptors aligned with the Prince Zion standing before them now.

It felt as if they were witnessing an entirely different person.

How many individuals in the world can overwhelm others merely with their presence?

Only an exclusive handful, those born with the traits of a 'ruler', possess such ability, and among them, are the direct descendants of the Agnes royal family.

Prince Zion was previously deemed lacking in such qualities, and hence, was virtually discarded by the royal family.

However, the Prince Zion who emerged at the coronation ceremony now exuded a presence befitting an exemplary ruler.

More so than anyone else present.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Zion, continuing his traverse through the silent hall, took his place beside the Fifth Princess, Diana.

Perhaps, this was a sign.

"Phew......"

Only then did the tension in the hall dissipate, as did the oppressive atmosphere.

But the nobles, who dared only to steal glances at Zion, the central figure of this coronation ceremony, could not yet approach him.

Even devoid of any overtly aggressive aura, there was something about Zion that made one hesitant to recklessly draw near him.

'He's more formidable than the last time I encountered him.'

Lergan mused, observing Zion with a slight curling of his lips.

Even though most of the individuals within the coronation ceremony hall were of lesser standing.

It was accurate to conclude that his stature had ascended since their last meeting, given that his mere presence and walk could create such an atmosphere.

'This is rather promising.'

It would have been calamitous if Prince Zion had merely grown stronger, but the power that Prince Zion had harnessed was that of darkness.

The potency of dark magic amplifies with increasing level, its defining traits becoming increasingly conspicuous and challenging to conceal.

And for Lergan himself, such discoveries would come more readily.

'All the pieces are in place. Only one final step remains.'

With this thought, Lergan directed a leisurely smile towards the palace entrance.

Yet, he was oblivious.

Unknown to him, Zion's eyes were fixed on him, a spark of interest kindling within them.

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