I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

"Zion Agnes..."

Princess Diana Agnes, famed as the 'Fairy Princess', whispered the name of Zion, whom she recently spotted in the royal palace.

'He's different now.'

Remembering their last encounter, Diana contrasted Zion's former image with the one she just witnessed.

He used to have slumped shoulders.

His eyes were always skittish, filled with unease.

He seemed physically weaker than even her, a woman.

He displayed no signs of training, and he couldn't even meet her gaze.

He was the picture of defeat, utterly unfitting for an Agnes royal.

'But things were different this time.'

She felt it the moment he showed up.

Something about him had shifted.

His eyes, now serene, held the gazes of her and the other royals. A unique aura naturally clung to him.

Diana was especially taken aback when Zion swiftly ended the wizard's life - a feat she believed impossible for the Zion she once knew.

'He also made unpredictable, extraordinary moves.'

She pondered over the recent past where he managed to seize control whenever she or someone else tried to.

In those moments, Diana had been flustered because things didn't go as planned.

What could have happened?

Had the Agnes bloodline truly awakened in him late, as the rumors suggested?

"I didn't know he would agree to tackle one of the seven calamities..."

Unexpected turns, one after another.

Zion's response had surprised Diana, but she considered this turn of events better.

While she couldn't figure out why he agreed to the proposal, she was certain he wouldn't be able to resolve it.

However, a sense of unease was slowly creeping up from the depths of Diana's heart.

'He's not a threat yet... but it's time to learn more.'

Deciding this, Diana casually raised her hand, beckoning one of the fairies standing behind her.

"We need to gather information about our youngest brother, specifically recent events. Details are key."

"I understand, third leaf of time," the fairy man replied, bowing his head respectfully.

"Still, we need more information... What about the search for the 'Eye'?" Diana asked.

The organization, known as the Eye of the Empire, was something even she, a princess, had only recently discovered.

A clandestine group operating within the royal city, possessing unparalleled information.

And lately, Diana had been trying her hardest to locate this elusive entity.

If she could gain control of this group, it wouldn't only fill in the gaps in her information, but also give her a head start in the ongoing competition for the throne.

"We've found a lead... but haven't made any progress beyond that."

"A lead..."

Hearing the man's report, Diana stopped her rhythmic tapping on the table.

"Then let's heat things up."

When a tail catches fire, it usually leads to one of two outcomes.

Either sever the tail and escape.

Or reveal yourself entirely.

"I'm eager to see the outcome."

A small smile graced Diana's lips as she spoke.

Her eyes, however, held an icy glint, starkly contrasting her smile.

---

---

Agnes Royal City was so expansive that it was almost a city within a city.

It housed not only important structures like the citizens' palace and royal residences, but also countless facilities handling diverse functions.

The Royal Library, the Palace Culinary Research Center, temples dedicated to various gods, and more.

'I've never seen such a deserted place.'

Zion found himself in the Agnes History Museum.

Unlike the Imperial History Museum located outside the royal city, which chronicled the entire empire's history, the Agnes History Museum primarily focused on the lineage of past emperors and royals.

Entering the museum, Zion saw a lineup of portraits, statues, and artifacts related to past emperors.

Step by step.

Had everyone already paid their respects?

Or was there no one left to honor the past emperors?

Zion leisurely wandered through the museum, which felt oddly vacant without a single visitor in sight.

'There aren't as many past emperors as I expected.'

Four hundred years might be a long time for humans, but perhaps not for emperors who had ascended to the status of superhumans.

The museum displayed less than seven emperors' names.

As Zion strolled around the museum, examining the portraits and statues of past emperors, something peculiar caught his eye.

'This is...'

A portrait, by definition, should depict a person's face.

Yet, the portrait in front of Zion bore no human face.

Just a dark backdrop.

Zion knew whose portrait it was.

The Eternal Emperor.

In this novel, he was the founding emperor of the Agnes Empire, a legendary figure who had once ruled the world.

The statue of the Eternal Emperor next to the portrait also lacked facial features - its face was a black canvas.

Zion glanced down to confirm the name of the Eternal Emperor.

Aurelion Khan Agnes.

A name that felt all too familiar.

There was no avoiding it.

That name had once belonged to him when he was the emperor in his original world.

'I expected it, but...'

Even after confirming that the founder of this world bore his name, Zion's eyes remained calm.

This detail had not been in the Frosimar Chronicles.

But he had suspected it ever since he encountered Eclaxia in the 'Dream of Stars.'

Zion recalled that as he approached Eclaxia, the warehouse keeper, Beira, had noted it was the weapon of the Eternal Emperor.

'The question is, what does this imply?'

Just as the name 'Agnes Empire' was inserted directly into the chronicles, had the entity who wrote them simply used Zion's name?

If not...

A possibility began to take form, yet it remained elusive, shrouded in mist.

'I need more clues.'

Such were Zion's thoughts as he studied the faceless statue of the Eternal Emperor.

"The Eternal Emperor, founder of this empire and unifier of the world, greatly despised leaving records about himself."

A voice sounded beside him.

Upon hearing the voice, Zion turned to see a young man with strikingly long hair tied back.

Gentle eyes that seemed perpetually curved in a smile, lips curled into a soft grin.

Overall, the young man had the air of a librarian.

"As such, apart from his accomplishments, almost nothing of him remains. Hence, there are no portraits featuring the Eternal Emperor's visage, let alone statues. This faceless portrait is hung for appearances' sake, but in reality, it holds no meaning."

Having cast a brief glance at the Eternal Emperor's portrait relegated to the backdrop, the young man turned to Zion and bowed.

"Pleasure to meet you, Crown Prince Zion. I'm Thierry Illones, the curator of the Agnes History Museum."

The young man, Thierry, who addressed Zion by his royal title, appeared to already know Zion's status. His demeanor was respectful yet unforced.

Zion regarded the young man with a languid gaze before responding.

"I wasn't aware that Your Highness would have an interest in the Agnes royal family's history. The other royals seldom visit here more than once."

A second visit?

Thierry, his head once again raised, smiled contentedly.

"Most probably feel the same. There's little of interest here."

"Ha ha, I concur... Yet I consider this place more than a mere display of past emperors' relics. Through the records they left, we can deduce aspects of their lives and learn from them. Indeed, there's much to glean."

With that, Thierry swept his gaze across the museum's expanse.

"Your Highness Zion, you must have revisited this place for that very reason, correct?"

"I didn't come here to learn, but to acquire something."

Zion responded to Thierry's question with a chuckle.

"To acquire knowledge? Ha ha, I like that answer. If you have any questions while touring the museum, don't hesitate to ask. Questions about the empire's history are also welcome."

"Is that so? Then I do have a question."

"And what might that be?"

Thierry looked at Zion, awaiting his question.

"The Shadow."

"Pardon?"

"I wish to know about the Emperor's Shadow."

"By 'Shadow', are you referring to clandestine organizations operating unseen? Certainly, an emperor might maintain such entities."

Zion watched Thierry, who deftly skirted the topic without betraying a change in his expression, with amusement.

Zion knew the true identity of the young man before him.

Thierry Illones.

The Eye of the Emperor, and the head of the 'Shadow of Eternity', the empire's ultimate intelligence organization.

There's a saying: to hide a tree, place it within a forest.

Who could have guessed?

That the head of the empire's most secretive organization was operating openly within the imperial city.

Zion might have struggled to locate him had the chronicles not mentioned Thierry.

"Shadow of Eternity."

"......"

"I came to claim the Shadow of Eternity."

Thierry fell silent at the precise terminology Zion employed.

Soon, a frosty light began to glow in his normally soft eyes.

Perhaps he deemed further concealment pointless, given the knowing look in Zion's eyes?

"Follow me."

With no question into Zion's knowledge, Thierry simply turned and began to walk after expressing those brief words.

Zion trailed behind at a leisurely pace.

Thierry did not exit the building.

He strolled between walls adorned with portraits of past emperors, before pressing his palm against a bare wall.

A low whirr echoed, a magical circle etched with intricate patterns materialized on the wall where his hand lay, and a passageway large enough for two people to pass side by side emerged.

"Truth be told, ever since His Majesty appointed you as his successor, I suspected you might arrive here. There was no other reason for his abrupt designation."

As he confidently navigated the pitch-black passage devoid of any light, Thierry's soft voice continued.

"Crown Prince Zion, we are the empire's most clandestine and exceptional eyes. We answer solely to the Emperor's commands, and we retain the right to refuse if we determine an order endangers the Empire's well-being."

This unique privilege of the Shadow had been handed down from the Eternal Emperor who founded it to the present day.

"We've been observing you for longer than you might presume."

"......"

Zion followed Thierry silently, assessing his environment.

The layout of the passage and the building was hard to decipher, as though subject to a particular magical manipulation intended to disorient his senses.

"However, the recent shifts and actions you've exhibited are puzzling for us."

Trudge, trudge.

"The dual assaults at the Chimseong Palace, the monster event, the mysterious power you command with an untraceable source, recently smuggling in a blood mage from outside the castle undetected. And your violent disposition persistently displayed at Baeksung Palace. All of these acts would have been unfathomable for the Zion we've known until now."

Thierry's footsteps finally stopped.

"Prince Zion, you claimed you came to acquire the shadow, correct? Then, demonstrate your worth first."

Zion perceived the space around him suddenly expand.

"Prove that you, Zion Agnes, are not an entity of evil."

As Thierry's presence vanished from in front of him, dozens of swords rained down upon Zion.

***

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