I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

Smash!

Princess Diana Agnes' teacup shattered into dust.

"...What was that again?"

Diana's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the messenger fairy.

The man, his head low, spoke in a grim tone.

"All forces sent to the Shadow Branch... have been wiped out."

Crash!

At his words, the tea table in front of Diana also dissolved into nothing.

"Wiped out, you said wiped out? Every single one of Egrasia's 6th Battalion?"

"Yes."

This was completely unexpected.

Egrasia was a powerhouse among the empire's military units, a source of pride for Diana herself, and it stood unrivaled among the fairy divisions.

Sure, she considered the possibility of some injuries due to enemy resistance.

She considered the potential failure to catch the enemy and letting them escape.

But never did she expect the entire 6th Battalion to be wiped out.

"...What about the enemy branch?"

Diana asked, trying to suppress her growing rage.

If her side suffered such losses, the enemy must have taken equally severe damage.

Yet, the man's response exceeded her expectations again.

"The evidence at the scene... suggests that the 6th Battalion didn't even make it inside the building."

"What was that?"

Diana looked at the man, questioning his explanation.

"Signs of a fierce fight were found outside the building, along with the bodies of the 6th Battalion. There were no traces leading into the building. It appears they fell in battle right there."

"A trap...."

A soft voice escaped from Diana's twisted expression.

"Was the branch a trap from the start?"

It was entirely plausible.

Eliminating an entire Egrasia battalion in one night would require significant planning and preparation from the start.

"…You're saying I walked into a trap? Me, Diana Agnes?"

She had always been the one to lay traps, not walk into them.

So her shock and rage were all the more intense.

After a brief pause to gather her wits, Diana posed another question to the man.

"Do we know who's behind this?"

"There were strong signs of blood magic at the scene."

"Blood magic?"

Interest sparked in Diana's eyes at the man's words.

Blood magic was a talent few possessed, making it difficult to learn.

That's why, in the empire, only a handful of people could use it effectively.

If the enemies used blood magic, it would significantly narrow down the list of suspects.

"Recently, a woman who's sided with Prince Zion is known to use blood magic."

"Are you referring to the woman I saw in the virtual reality?"

"Yes, she's the only blood magician active in the capital lately."

"Hmm..."

Diana's brows creased slightly at this.

If things were as they seemed, it would be easy to point fingers at Zion and this woman, but something felt off.

Everything seemed too tidy, too well-orchestrated.

It was as if someone was purposely directing the situation toward Zion.

'Zion wouldn't have any reason or capacity to pull off such a thing.'

Even though the red-eyed woman had bested the Azure Lion Knights at the palace's main gate...

Diana doubted this proved she could obliterate an entire Egrasia battalion.

"Were there any other clues?"

"Well... not quite a clue, but underneath the blood magic and fairy rituals, we found faint traces of a summoning ritual. It might just be residual magic, but..."

Suddenly, Diana's eyes sparkled.

"That's it. The person who cast that spell is our culprit. Who else in the capital right now is a summoner or part of a group strong enough to wipe out the 6th Battalion?"

"Third Prince's Lergan Urschler, or from the Summoning Tower's side…"

"...Enoch!"

Before the man could complete his sentence, Diana snapped a name.

With it, a tangible wave of celestial energy radiated from her.

"So that's how it goes."

Muttering to herself, Diana's eyes bore a colder light than ever before.

---

---

Behind a seldom-used garbage incinerator on the outskirts of Agnes Palace, a man and woman stood facing each other.

But the man's gaze on the woman seemed odd.

While he looked perfectly ordinary, his face was devoid of any emotion.

Like a doll.

An entirely expressionless face, completely void of any emotion.

"You've done well avoiding suspicion with that face."

A woman with long auburn hair, looking at the man, remarked.

She wore a monk's robe, an odd match for her alluring figure.

"I see no need to show emotions, especially in front of you."

"Good point. But why the meeting? Our regular check-in isn't for some time, is it?"

"I've lost contact with Dicarne. I think she may be dead."

In response to the woman's question, the man replied in his emotionless tone.

"Dicarne? That's strange. How did that happen?"

"I'm working on that. It's not just Dicarne, signals from several subordinates have also gone quiet recently. It's like…"

"Someone's hunting us?"

The woman smiled as if she found the notion amusing.

"Yes."

"Well, that's possible. I'm more surprised we weren't discovered until now."

"I'm not certain yet. But something about this troubles me."

"What is it?"

"Zion Agnes."

The man's gaze turned icy as he uttered the name.

"Excluding Dicarne, most whose signals have gone silent were close to Zion Agnes."

"That exiled prince?"

Interest ignited in the woman's eyes, a stark contrast to the man's frosty demeanor.

"He's the subject of quite a few recent rumors... It might be worth our attention."

"I'll leave that to you then."

With that, the man turned, wrapping up the matter without hesitation, and began to walk away.

"This could become quite intriguing if played right?"

Watching the man's receding figure, the woman muttered to herself.

And then-

She vanished from the spot without a trace.

---

---

"Your Highness Zion, please be cautious."

At the main gate of Chimseong Palace, Knight Fredo bowed to Zion, who was exiting, a worrisome expression in his eyes.

"Your Highness, perhaps reconsidering would be best. This is a heavy burden, even for you..."

Beside Fredo, Thierry trailed off, his gaze on Zion pleading him to rethink.

Zion's weary eyes met his.

Those eyes held no signs of hesitation or apprehension.

No matter what was said, Zion's decision was firm.

"……We will manage everything as instructed in your absence. Please travel safely."

"Yes."

Quickly conceding, Thierry bowed his head, and Zion climbed into a magical car, Liushina at his side, bound for the Imperial City's main gate.

Since he wasn't sneaking out of the Imperial City this time, he confidently strode through the main gate.

"I didn't anticipate departing the Imperial City so soon after arriving."

Seated across from Zion, Liushina shrugged and remarked.

Yet, in contrast to her words, her eyes sparkled with anticipation.

She could almost taste the tension in the air, hinting at the events about to unfold.

"……."

Zion didn't respond to Liushina's comment, his gaze directed out the window.

Zion was leaving the Imperial City to fulfill his promise to the emperor and other royals in the virtual realm, proving his worth as a successor.

The Seven Disasters.

Each of the seven calamities plaguing the Agnes Empire required the Empire's powerful intervention for resolution.

The royals wished for Zion to address one of the seven disasters as proof of his competence, and Zion had agreed.

'It's about time for that creature to surface, isn't it? If I handle this well, I might secure two wins at once.'

Zion recalled the one disaster he had chosen, and the details he'd read in the chronicles, watching as Liushina curiously inspected the interior of the magical car.

She was pivotal in quelling this disaster.

From the moment he'd planned to enlist Liushina as an ally, Zion had contemplated the resolution of this catastrophe.

Naturally, her power had significantly influenced his choice.

But the reward he would reap from mitigating this disaster was equally crucial to him.

That's why he had planned to address it at some point, even if Diana hadn't proposed it in the virtual realm.

'It's somewhat ahead of schedule, but it's not a bad turn of events.'

In fact, it could even be advantageous.

The disaster selected by Zion was one where the malignant influence was more potent than in any other.

Hence, halting the disaster could potentially inflict considerable damage on the adversary.

"We have arrived, Your Highness."

In the meantime, the driver's voice rang out. The magical car had stopped, seemingly having reached the main gate.

Consequently, the crowd became visible through the window.

Having navigated the manipulated succession ceremony, and designated as the heir by Emperor Urdios.

And having accepted the task of addressing one of the Seven Disasters as proof of his ability.

Owing to these events, Zion had caught the attention of the Imperial City's inhabitants, and an audience had gathered to witness his departure to tackle the disaster.

Suddenly.

The moment Zion opened the car door and stepped out, the chatter that had filled the air vanished as if on cue.

In its wake, all eyes were riveted on Zion.

Zion nonchalantly ignored these gazes, striding slowly down the path carved out by the crowd.

Thud, thud.

The sound of his footsteps resonated in the prevailing silence.

Typically, when a direct descendant of Agnes officially leaves the Imperial City, a large number of people turn out to bid them farewell.

But Zion was aware.

None of them had genuinely come to see him off.

The curiosity and mockery reflected in their eyes.

"Resolve a disaster single-handedly? They've lost their mind."

"And they picked an illusion... one of the most vexing among the disasters? Perhaps their perception of reality is skewed from staying in the Imperial City?"

"They likely picked a difficult one knowing they can't resolve it anyway."

Along with that, the crowd's whispers reached Zion's ears.

They may have thought they were speaking low enough to go unnoticed, but their words rang clear in Zion's ears.

They.

They believed Zion could never tackle this disaster.

No, they were hoping he couldn't.

Zion etched each of their faces into his memory.

What would their expressions be when he returned having eradicated the disaster?

He was already anticipating it.

"Your Highness Zion, are you departing now?"

A man with blue hair and a frosty demeanor came into Zion's sight.

Lergan Urschler.

A close confidant of the third prince and an exceptional summoner who, despite his youth, had already reached Level 7 and developed his unique form of magic.

"Your strength seems somewhat inadequate to deal with the impending catastrophe... but I trust you will find a path to triumph."

Lergan, observing Zion departing from the main gate with only Liushina and absent of any military forces, slightly dipped his head as he conveyed his words.

"Good luck."

Zion, scrutinizing the mage with serene eyes, recollected what Thierry, the head of the shadows, had previously informed him.

-The third prince, or more specifically, his advisor Lergan Urschler, questions the origin of your power.

Perhaps this display was his way of seeking confirmation.

'Then, I should provide him with what he desires.'

Concluding his internal deliberation, Zion raised his gaze again, locked eyes with Lergan, and offered a sly grin.

"I extend the same sentiment to you."

In that moment, so fleeting it could be considered a blink of an eye, Zion's entire eyes darkened to an obsidian black, then reverted back to their natural state.

Had he perceived that?

Lergan's eyes slightly quivered, his expression growing stern.

Leaving the silent Lergan behind, Zion at last crossed the threshold of the main gate with Liushina.

Behind Zion, his shadow was elongated by the afternoon sun.

The Illusionary Army of Chronos.

That was the name of the catastrophe that Zion had chosen.

***

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